Death's Embrace
by shadowy warrior
Summary: She was a Hunter,the most powerful species.World's fate rested on her shoulders,bonding her life tighter with the Ring. The girl went on a mission,though the prophecy that had haunted her entire life warned her she was walking to her death. If she lost in the battle, she would die. If she won, she would die. She wanted to fail at capturing an elf's heart,but she failed at failing.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone. thank you for clicking in. so this is basically about... you have seen the summary already. it was a great deal much more fun! i'm actually from china hong kong,so my grammar and launguage sucks. please continue reading! i love all those who is gonna read this and review it! love ya all!**

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><p>Ch1<p>

"Excuse me. That man in the corner, who is he?" a little voice caught Aeldra 's attention.

" He is one of the Rangers. Dangerous folk they are, wandering in the wild. He is known here as Strider. Another Ranger always travels with him but he wasn't beside him now. He was called Blaze."

Aeldra lifted her hood slightly and met Aragorn's eyes. They were divided by a few tables so they could easily cover the hobbits.

They watched the dark haired hobbit, Frodo, carefully. His eyes were closed with concentration.

" Baggins!"

His eyes flew open and he ran to another redheaded hobbit. She couldn't see what happened as the crowd shielded them from her sight,but she caught a glimpse that Frodo disappeared.

She shot to her feet and looked around. That fool! How can he wear it? It's…

She saw Aragorn suddenly ducking under a table and dragged a frightened Frodo out. She raced to their bedroom door and flung it open. Aragorn threw the hobbit in and she quickily shut the door behind them.

"what do you want?" Frodo stood up and faced the two Rangers. His expression spoke nothing,but she could see the fear that was written in his eyes.

" A more question from you,that was nothing tricky you carry."

" I carry nothing."

" Indeed." Aeldra spoke in his male voice." do you really think so?"

"I can avoid being see if I wish, but to disappear entirely, that is rare gift." Aragorn threw back his hood and stared at the hobbit in eyes.

Aeldra followed his lead,though she doubted Frodo could notice her face in the dark.

" who are you?" Frodo asked,his voice shaking.

"are you frightened?" Aaragorn walked closer.

Frodo's voice was barely a whisper. "yes."

"not frighten enough. I know what hunts you." He inched closer to the hobbit.

"do not scare him more than he already does,Strider."she said. "also, I sense footsteps."

Aeldra spinned around and drew her long hunting knife just as the door open. She rested her knife at the intruder's throat,who shrieked.

She looked at the three little hobbit. " brave in heart,Samwise Gamgee. And…?"she raised an eyebrow at the two others redheaded.

"pip…"the shorter one started.

The taller redheaded elbowed the shorter one. "shh!"

" you can no longer wait for Gandalf,Frodo. They are coming."Aeldra turned away from them and spoke gently at Frodo,who finally noticed that she was actually a female. She watched in amusement as fear dawned on his face as he saw the face hidden under her hood.

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><p><strong>So that's the first chap. You really did a good job by finishing it. i know it sounds quite boring,but i swear it will get better later. please review. i guess i will update in a week. pm me if you have any ideas or wanna mistake my grammar. even chit chat is fine:) REVIEWS PLEASE!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! thank you for pressing the button _next_. i can't believe that i can have 2 reviews already! this ch is longer than the last one,and i hope all of you will enjoy. **

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><p>Ch2<p>

"Blaze?"

Aeldra turned to Frodo, " you should sleep."

"I have a question..uh, actually…um…"

"just ask."she smiled.

"how old are you?"he asked, blushing.

She nearly laughed."I am nineteen ."

" Aren't you too young to become a Ranger? It seems that being a Ranger is terrifying."

" I desire a peaceful life,but things sometimes would go out of control." She shrugged.

"What about your parents, they should keep you out of dangers! Where are they?" the little hobbit seemed quite angry.

" They did all they can already. I cannot ask more from them," she unconsciously touched a bracelet at her left wrist under the thick material of her blouse.

"Blaze." Aragorn called out. "they are here."

She leaned on his chair and looked out of the window. A horrible screech pierced the silent night.

The screech filled her heart with dread. A piece ofpainful memory leapt into her mind. She winced.

Aragorn reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. She forced a smile at him and turned back to the window.

She watched the five devils slipping into Prancing Pony. She waited.

Another horrible screech.

"what are they?" Frodo asked.

Aragorn and Aeldra turned to look at him. Aeldra found that the remaining three hobbits had woke up already and was watching her and Aragorn with shock.

" they are once men,great king of men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave them the nine rings of power. Blinded by greed,they took without question." Aragorn replied grimly. " One by one they fell into darkness and slaved to Sauron." He stopped and looked back outside.

Aeldra decided to take over his _inspiring _speech. "they are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all time they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the one."

" they will never stop hunting you." Aragorn concluded.

" As if they do not know,Stride." Aeldra rolled her eyes.

Aragorn shot her a sideways glance and ignored his companion.

0000000

The two Rangers had led the four hobbits for days already.

Aeldra silently thanked them as Aragorn slowed down his paces for the hobbits to catch up so she also didn't need to run after his long legged strides.

She adored the hobbits. They were so young and innocent, still blinded by the cruel world that existed outside their Shire.

They arrived at Weathertop soon enough. She saw no glimpse of Gandalf, who had promised to meet them there.

" Can you see him?" Aragorn glanced at her. " you should see things clearer then I do."

" it is true, but I cannot see him." She scowled. "what now?"

Aragorn turned to the hobbits. " we rest here tonight." Then he turned to Aeldra. "I hope that you don't have objections,which you always have."

"it is my pleasure to tell you: sadly,no."

" Good." He shouldered his pack and started walking.

"Aragorn,wait."

"What?"he turned to look at his friend.

" I think I sense some devils nearby. We should go check it."

" Me down you up?"

"Sure."

It was nearly a code between two of them. Whenever Aeldra sensed dangers,she would go as high as she could to have a good view while he would go around to check.

While Aragorn went to speak with the hobbits, she went to the top of Weathertop and looked down. There were dangers near. She was sure of it. She had trusted her instincts for a long time already. In minutes, the sun disappeared and darkness covered the land swiftly.

She had stayed there for about half an hour when she smelt a pleasant odour. Hm… seemed like tomato and…

Then she cursed and sprang down to where the hobbits were. She arrived just to see Frodo stamping the fire out.

She heard the shrieking of the Nazgul. "quickly! Come up! Quick!"

She pushed the hobbits up the stairs and met them at where she was standing guard. She let out a long whistle, notifying Aragorn that she was in danger. Then return whistle rang in her ears soon enough.

She stayed beside Frodo and drew her two identical hunting knives. She growled. "you fools. I will deal with you later. Lighting a fire… it is just like waving a I-am-here flag!"

She glared at the frightened hobbits. " watch out."

Then she whirled around and watched the first Nazgul stepping in front of her. She pushed Frodo behind her and pointed her knife at it.

Four others appeared. She couldn't get rid of them simply by her knives. She needed fire, but she was a bit occupied now.

She looked into their eyes. Hatre burned inside her as she remembered how they slashed her father open so many years before. She wished she could kill them all,rip them apart with her bare hands. She…

A hobbit yelled and charged.

She tried and grab Sam,but she wasn't use to grab creatures of such height. Sam ran past her and thrusted clumsily at the first Nazgul. They simply pushed him away and threw Merry and Pippin out of the way.

The leading Nazgul froze when it saw her. She didn't let it take its chance. She bursted into action.

She swept her blade at it and grazed its shoulder as it glided back. Two others rushed forward to meet her and three glided to Frodo.

She tried to stay beside the hobbit,but she couldn't find him. She cursed and concentrated at the two devils in front of her.

One stabbed at her with incredible speed. She sidesteeped easily and dodged the others' slash. She swept her knives in a wide arc, giving her space to stood uo. Her knife clashed with one's sword and she leapt forward to miss a blow. She started to slash wildly, keeping the Nazgul at an arm's length and also keeping herself alive.

Then she heard a painful scream. She spinned around and saw one Nazgul's sword stabbing into… nothing?

Then something slammed on her back and she flew forward and hit a rock. She used it as a lever and threw herself back before she sailed right out of the platform and turned into a pancake.

Her side ached from the impact. It was a numbing brusising pain,but this wasn't the problem.

Her chest felt like on fire. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. Hold on,you have to save Frodo. You couldn't get distracted by this stupid old wound…

" Strider! Blaze!"

She looked up and realized Aragorn had arrived and got rid of all the Nazgul with fire. Frodo was moaning on the ground, gasping in pain.

She ignored the pain on her chest and hurried to them. Aragorn was lifting Frodo up.

" He was stabbed by a morgul blade." He informed her as they ran down. " are you hurt?"

"no." she lied._ I am simply dying of poison._

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><p><strong>so that's it! I know the action part sucks,but i hope it will get better later coz it's kind of a writer-action-block over here. please review if you have read it so i know somebody is actually reading it. btw,Ch3 is almost done. i will try to upload it b4 nest Sat.<strong>

**A big thanks to all who have read it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you again for reading this! So i left a little cliffhanger in last Ch. Sorry for that. Enjoy!**

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><p>Aeldra ran.<p>

She knew that Frodo was fading very fast. She surged forward, leaving the others behind. If she could find a horse soon, maybe Frodo could arrive at Rivendell with life still in him.

What she needed now was luck. She seriously lacked it. She wondered if she could ever had luck in her entire life.

" Aeldra."

She spinned around and saw a person behind her. Her knife flew but that person stepped back hastily and cried out in elvish, " _do not kill me! I am here to help you!"_

She gasped as she recognized the voice and drew back her knife quickly. "_ Arwen."_ She breathed.

Her friend smiled. "_ please watch who you are killing. I do not desire to die in the hands of an old friend."_

" _You should be more careful. I also do not desire you lover to weep."_ She grinned wickedly.

Arwen blushed. "_ take me to Aragorn. He needs my help."_

Aeldra nodded. " _I have lost him a few hours ago. Let us go."_

The two hurried back. They discovered him crouching at the ground,cutting something off the ground.

Arwen walked forward to him. Aeldra decided to leave them alone.

Now knowing that Frodo had hope, her own pain flared up again. She slumped down onto the ground and pushed off her cloak. She unbuttoned her blouse and lifted up her underwear.

There was her old wound. It was bleeding black, the poison seeping into her system. She found a little leather bag that she always carried in her backpack and pulled out the weed inside.

She chewed the weed and studied her wound. It wasn't horrible this time so that was why she was alive so far. If the wound was torn open as horrible as last time was, she would be dead by now.

She pressed the weed on her wound. Agony bursted from it and she gave out a little moan. She gritted her teeth and let the agony hit her wave by wave until the pain slowly faded.

"It will buy you time, but it won't last_."_

She looked up and found Aragorn looking worryingly at her.

" Did Arwen take Frodo?" she asked as she dapped the weed on her wound again. Black spots danced on her vision and she grabbed the grass on the ground for support.

" She took him." He nodded and touched her wound lightly, determined not to look at anywhere elses. "You should tell me that you are hurt! You do know what would happens if the poison seeped through your entire system,right?"

" I do." She groaned against the pain. " but I can't let you be distracted from Frodo. He was the important matter. I am the minor one."

"Minor?" he echoed. " good heavens, Aeldra, you are impossible. Can you stand?"

" Not sure, to be honest." She struggled up. Horrible pain drove into her chest like a burning sword plunging into her heart. She cried out as a wave of darkness slammed into her. Her knees buckled and shadows consumed her.

0oo0

_She was back in the day when she first encountered an Orc._

_She was only three years old at that time. She was back in her ouse with her family. She was playing with her dolls. Her father was out. Her older brother, __thirteen-year-old Deveron was cooking her lunch. Her mother was sleeping on her bed._

_A child's peaceful normal day._

_Then it was shattered._

_A horrible human suddenly threw open her house's door and bursted in. Its skin was gray and swollen, not smooth like normal human. Little Aeldra shrieked at the sight and hid behind her mother's bed. Her mother cried out when she saw the Orc and clutched little Aeldra tightly. "stay away from my children,monster!"_

_Deveron threw a knife at the Orc and it sank to an unguarded and surprised Orc's chest. Deveron covered his mouth as he realized what he had done and sank to his knees. Aeldra crawled to him and wrapped her thin arms around him. Her mother tried to walk to them, but she was seriously sick and couldn't leave her bed._

_The second Orc ran into their house. Deveron reached for another knife on the table as the monster aimed an arrow at him._

_Then an arrow sprouted on its own chest and it crumpled._

Aeldra sat up bolt upright. It was a scene that happened sixteen years ago, but the scenes still played in her mind clearly. It was the day when her life changed abructly from heaven to hell.

" Aeldra?" a deep voice rang beside her.

She looked up at Elrond's kind face. " Lord Elrond? What… what happened? Where am I?"

" You are in Rivendell." He informed her. " Aragorn carried you here and you barely made it."

" It was lucky that it wasn't as horrible as last time." She laughed and leaned back.

" We cannot guarantee that you can always keep yourself alive in this state. It is a miracle that you are not yet in the arms of Death's."

" We have been through this conversation many times already, Lord Elrond." She groaned. " You know that you cannot convince me."

" I am pointing out the truth, child. You shall stay in Rivendell and heal while you can. When the time came…" his voice faded.

" I have waited in here for four years. I need to know what is happening outside this border. I need to know what I shall do when the time came,"

" But I fear that you may not survive."

" You do know that I do not fear death."

" I do know that you do not fear death, but I fear for the world if you passed!"Elrond nearly cried out.

She let uncomfortable silence passed through them before asking. " How is the hobbit?"

" He made it here in time. He is now awake and spending his time with dear old Bilibo." He hesitated for a while. " the great evilness that he carried…Aeldra, I fear for you."

" I also fear of it. But I still have to face it,shall I?" she shrugged,letting loose a bolt of pain on her chest.

Elrond rose to his feet. " I hope you will consider well. The Prophecy…"

" We have agreed not to speak of this business for long already." There were steel in her voice now.

Elrond sighed. " the time has come. Aeldra… be careful. The world cannot afford to lose you."

She nodded.

He sighed. " you may return to your room. The hobbits were worried about you."

" Did they know how did I receive this scar?"

" I believe nobody tell them, although they are dying to know," he watched as Aeldra slipped off her bed and limped to the door.

" Aeldra?"

She stopped at the door frame. "yes?"

" Be proud of yourself."

She smiled and left the infirmary,

0000

Legolas was rather tired as he arrived in Rivendell.

He smiled as he saw the familiar view of it. It had been fourteen years since he last came here. Fourteen years were just a blink of eye, but it was long enough to let memories fade.

Rivendell hadn't change much and still held the peaceful beauty inside. He rode inside it and leapt off his horse gracefully.

" Legolas?" a familiar voice laughed near him.

He turned and smiled at Aragorn. " Aragorn, my old friend."

The two friends gave each other a bear hug. It had been long since the two encountered.

" How are you?" Legolas smiled politely.

" I am doing great, my friend. You must be tired. A good night rest shall be required."

" Without doubt." He agreed. " Where is my dear Aeldra? She was only five and was dying of poison when I last seen her."

" She is wounded but is healing." He nodded as a confirm to his friend's concern. " she is still being tortured by pit-poison."

" I would like to see her." He remembered the little angelic girl with raven hair in her arms fourteen years ago. He was at the very same spot, running her to Elrond before death took her.

" She had just come to consciousness." Aragorn nodded. " I will take you to her. She must have many words that she would want to share with you."

Aragorn knocked on the door. " Aeldra? May I come in?"

" Sure." He heard a young, melodic voice answering.

They opened the door. A plain bedroom came to sight.

His eyes traveled to the girl who was sitting on the bed. She was about fourteen with dark shaggy hair and wide blue eyes. He wanted to say she was beautiful, but her face scared him.

The skin on her face was a strange shade of grayish black. Her skin was horribly wrinkled and zigzag with scars. There was no expression on her face. It seemed that the skin was hard like a board. It was a face that belonged to no human.

" Hello." The girl raised an eyebrow at him." You do look familiar to me. Do we know each other?"

" Aeldra,this is Legolas. He was the one who saved you from the poison when you were five."

Legolas couldn't believe his eyes. He still recalled the beautiful young face years ago,definitely not this unhuman face.

Aeldra sprang to her feet," Legolas? Is that truly you?" Yet her voice was still beautiful as ever.

"I... I am." He nodded shakily." Are you really Aeldra?"

She nodded." It is goo good to see you again. I sincerely wanted to thank you fourteen years ago,but you have left when I woke."

" My pardon." He nodded at her." But... the way I recall you isn't like this at all. What happens to your face?"

He felt Aragorn gripping his shoulder." Legolas? Aeldra had just woken. Maybe you two can talk tomorrow. Rest is required for her now."

"Yes."she agreed a little too fast." I'd like to have a sleep now."

Aragorn quickly drew the confused Elf out.

"What's wrong with her? This cannot be Aeldra." He shook his head at the grim man.

"She is fine,trust me. Do not ask her question about this. She has her reasons to do this."

"Is it the poison that ran in her system making her this?"

Aragorn shook his head." It is true that the poison would make her skin a bit grayish and pale after it she splits the wound,but not like this. Please do not go in and bother her any longer."

Legolas watched his friend turned away and stalked off.

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><p><strong>So they have met ten years before! The council will be on next chap. It may take some time cuz i'm pretty busy on weekdays. Sorry for that! Thanks for the review!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

Ch4

**A super big thank here for reading it and all the lovely reviews,Fav and Follow! So here come the ch4! Cuz i can't find the complete version of the movie,some part of the council will be deleted but i don't think it matters anyway. Just enjoy!**

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><p>Frodo quickly followed Gandalf to the council.<p>

He didn't feel comfortable sitting among a whole bunch of elves and dwarves,so he stayed close to the wizard and glanced around.

He saw Strider sitting quietly at the corner,studying the others with wary gray eyes. Strider forced Frodo a sour smile when their eyes met.

"Strangers from distant lands,friends of old,you have been here to answer the threatsof Mordor." Elrond started." Middle Earth stands at the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate,this one doom."

Frodo slowly reached to the Ring and Elrond commanded." Frodo,bring forth the Ring."

He laid the Ring on the table in the middle. Murmers spreaded like fire but none stood out to speak.

Finally a man with brownish red hair stood up.

"This is a gift,a gift to the foes of Mordor! Why not use this ring?"

"My pardon."

Everyone turned to the person who had interrupted his speech. It was a darkheaded girl with a horrible face. She ignored others' suspicious glances and sat down calmly in the empty seat next to Aragorn.

Frodo recognized her as the Ranger,Blaze. Her face was so strange that it still sent chills down his spine when he saw it.

The man had started again."Long has my father,the Steward of Gondor,held the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people your lands keep safe. Why not use this Ring? Give Gondor the weapon of the enemies,let us use it against him!"

"You cannot weild it,none of us can! The one Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master!" Aragorn cried out.

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?"the man sneered.

"This is no mere Ranger." Suddenly a golden-hair elf sprang to his feet and shot the man a death glare."this is Aragorn,son of Arathorn. You own him your allegiance."

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir!" The man stared at Strider with wide eyes along with others.

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." The elf continued.

"Gondor has no king." The annoying man spat." Gondor needs no king."

"Aragorn has to be king,rather you desire or not." Blaze said coldly.

"And who are you? A sorceress with such an old face?"

It happened so quickly that Frodo almost couldn't see it. Blaze's wrist flicked and the man yelped as a dagger appeared on his chair,stabbed into the chair between his legs.

"Do not call me sorceress,Boromir,son of Denethor."she glared at him."for I am none."

"This is not what summons us together." Elrond changed the subject." We shall continue to dicuss of the matter of the Ring."

"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."Gandalf said.

"You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

"What are we waiting for?"

A dwarf with wild red hair and beard rose to his feet with his axe in his hands. He hit the Ring with one expert slash but his axe shattered and he was thrown backward.

And yet the Ring laid unharm on the table.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed,Glimi son of Gloin,by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fire of Mount Doom,only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast into the fiery chasm from whence it come." He swept his glance across the crowd."one of you must do this."

Frodo stared at the little ring on the a small thing...but such importance that it contained.

The man,Boromir had said something again that Frodo didn't hear. It clearly displeased the elf as he shot to his feet and cried out something.

The dwarf Glimi yelled something back and things got out of control. Soon,only him,Elrond,Aragorn and Blaze were still seated.

Suddenly he understood what he had to do. He hated it,but he realized there was no other way.

"I will take it." He stood up and cried out to the crowd.

He saw Blaze's electric blue eyes widened as she heard her. She yelled." Silence!"

She earned some angry glare but that caught the people's attention.

" I will take the Ring to Mordor...though,I do not know the way." Frodo stammered.

" I will help you bear this burden,Frodo Baggins,as long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf clapped the hobbit's shoulder.

" By life or death,if i can protect you, I will." Aragorn promise." You have my sword."

" Aragorn isn't going to get rid of his old friend so easily." Blaze stood up." you have also my knives."

" And my bow." Legolas turned to them.

" And my axe." Glimi stood beside Legolas,whose face was screaming _hell no_.

" You carry the fate of us all,little one." Boromir spoke." if this is indeed the decision of the council, Gondor will hep."

" I am going too!" Sam appeared from behind some brushes and grabbed Frodo's arm." Mister Frodo isn't going anywhere without me!"

" No, indeed not. It seems hardly possible to seperate you two,even when he was invited to a secret council when you were not." there wss a glint in the old elf's eyes.

" We are coing too!" Merry's voice rang as the two other hobbits bursted into the council." you will have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!"

" I would like to try." Blaze mused in amusement.

"Anyway,you need people of intelligence at this sort of...mission? Quest...thing!"

" Wll that counts you out,Pip." Merry whispered to his friend,who ignored him.

" Ten companians...you shall be the fellowship of the ring!" Elrond announced.

" Great! Where are we going?"

0000

Boromir quickly followed the young girl after the council."hey,girl!"

She glanced back at him coldly." please call me Blaze. Everyone calls me that."

" Uh,as you wish,Blaze. I am not underestimating you,Blaze,but this quest may probably claim all of our lives. You are still so young and you are a female. Do you.."

"Thank you for your lovely reminder,Boromir,but I know what I am facing." she spinned around and walked off."

" I mean...you still have a great life to live. I do not want a young maiden losing her life in..."

" I understand the situation,Boromir. I do not need you as my father." she gained her speed and left Boromir impossible to follow.

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><p><strong> This ch is quite short compare to the last one,but u see,i barely manage to squeeze this little time out to write. i have rewritten the last half for 3 times cuz the wifi keep disconnecting and it is so fucking frustrated. it is quite amazing as i have covered half of the first movie with just 4 chaps,but i want to focuse mainly in the fellowship adventures. i guess the fluffy aeldra x legolas stuff will appear in the next few chaps. please REVIEWS,FAVOURITE and FOLLOW! PM IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGED!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all my amazing readers!**

**ch5 is finally here. Enjoy!**

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><p>Ch5<p>

She pulled on her cloak and stared into the mirror.

Underneath her dark cloak was her weapon belt with her two favourite twin daggers hanging there along with a long sword. There were small knives hid under the cloak and there were even two tiny daggers hid under her blouse. A knife was strapped on each of her boots. Her quiver was at her back with her bag slumped against it.

She had pulled her hair into a braid that covered her left ear, which was pointy due to her father. Nobody knew of her bloodline except Aragorn, Elrond and Arwen, and she wasn't preparing to blare it up to the world.

Her face was still strange and ugly, but she had grown to accept and love it.

She touched the bracelet at her wrist. It was made of silver with a delicate metal flower in the middle. It was beautiful and she had never taken it off and kept it clean for years.

She remembered the day when she took it. The blackened house. The skeletons. The familiar silver glimmer on the ground. Strong arms that were placed around her as she cried into his chest.

"Blaze?" she heard Aragorn knocking on her door. " it is time to go."

She opened the door and smiled at Aragorn,who was dressed in a similar way of hers. She accepted his arm and the two headed outside.

Only Legolas was there. He was dressed in his green elvish clothes and smiled warmly at them as they arrived. She avoided his gaze as she stood beside him.

Soon,Gandalf,Boromir,Glimi,Frodo and Sam arrived. Merry and Pippin arrived ridiculously late and Aeldra did wonder if someone did really tie them up in a sack and threw them back to Shire, but theu managed to arrive back only being late.

So Frodo led the way out,followed by others. Aeldra caught Arwen staring at Aragorn as they left. There was nothing but pure pain in her dark eyes.

Aeldra felt relax again once she stepped back into the wild, where she learned to love a long time ago.

It felt so strange to travel with such slow paces. She had got use to catch up the long strides of Strider, not the short legs of the hobbits. She could feel her old friend being impatient to walk so slowly, but she rather enjoy it as she had time to feel the land under her strong feet.

Although Frodo was the Ring-bearer, it was Gandalf who was the leader. He would lead the way and called out orders while others were willingly to obey.

They were resting in between some rocks one day. Boromir was teaching Merry and Pippin how to fight with Aragorn watching. Frodo was lost in thought as Sam offered his master food. Gandalf was talking with Glimi while Aeldra twirled with her knife idly and watched the long slim figure of Legolas darted up the rocks.

"What is that?" she heard Sam's voice and she looked up. A gray cloud was flowing to them with great haste.

"Nothing,it's just a wisp of a cloud."

" It is moving fast and against the wind." Boromir stated.

" I suspect they are birds. Crows,if…" Aeldra stopped as she recognized it and froze as the painful memories of the past crushed her down.

" Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas yelled.

"Hide!" Aragorn gathered up his things and threw himself under a pile of boulders. He noticed Aeldra still standing like a statue and yelled out. "Legolas,grab Blaze!"

Legolas threw an arm around Aeldra and threw both of them into some thick brushes. He felt her shuddering in his arms as the crows flew over them and circled backward.

He drew her up. " Aeldra,is anything wrong?"

He noticed her right hand kept brushing the large ring around her left index finger as if for comfort. She collapsed into Aragorn once he arrived beside the shivering girl.

"Spies of Saruman,the passage south is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhras!"

So they left the warm land and climbed up the cold land of the Misty Mountain.

Aeldra never like the cold and she truged forward slowly along with others. She saw that the hobbits were exhausted, but she offered them no help as she was exhausted herself.

"Argh!"

She turned around and saw Frodo rolling down the slope. Aragorn quickly stopped him with his foot and helped the hobbit up.

She saw Frodo frumbling with his clothes for the Ring. Then he looked forward and watched Boromir picked up the Ring.

She tensed and felt Legolas's bow snapping up beside her. She touched his arm and gestured him to lower it.

"Boromir!"Aragorn snapped.

Boromir was holding the Ring and was speaking so softly that she wouldn't be able to hear it if it wasn't for the elvish blood in her body.

" It is strange that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing."he repeated. "such a small thing."

"Boromir!" Aragorn spoke in a commanding tone. "Give the ring to Frodo."

Boromir stared intensely at the Ring for a few moments later before pulling away in effort and reached out to give the Ring back. Frodo snatched it back quickly and eyed Boromir warily as he shuffled the snow out of the hafling's hair in order to light up the mood which he failed to do so.

Aeldra watched Aragorn let go of his sword hilt. Their eyes met and they silently agreed that they would both keep a close eye at Boromir.

As they continued their journey up the mountain,the air started to drop.

The depth of the snow started to increase under their feet. They didn't have much troubles until the snow grew waist-high and the hobbits couldn't walk anymore. Although Glimi didn't say anything,Aeldra could tell he was also having a really hard time.

Boromir helped pushing the snow away with the help of Gandalf in the front. Aeldra heaved up Sam and Merry in her arms and followed them.

" You seem to have great strength,Aeldra,when you offer carry the heaviest." Legolas observed when Aragorn pulled Frodo and Pippin up.

" Well,I am borned quite strong." She gave a little smile. "now,elf,go forward and scouted the road. Do not be lazy."  
>" You can also step quite lightly on the snow,Aeldra. Nice talent!" then he stood up straight and hurried forward.<p>

Aeldra flicked some hair on her left pointy ear unconsciously.

0000

"There is a fell voice in the air!" Legolas cried out.

Everyone stopped walking and listened. It was true. There was a horrible muttering slicing between the roars of the wind.

"It's Saruman!"Gandalf yelled.

Thunder roared above them. A few boulders crashed down.

Aeldra was only holding Sam now. She saw Glimi struggling to stay away from the edge but without much luck. She leapt to him and pulled him back before the boulder hit him.

"Thanks,lassie." He gasped.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf,we must turn back!"

"No!" Gandalf cried out and climbed up the snow. He started to yell spells against the roaring wind

Aeldra pressed her back tightly against the cliff,knowing Gandalf the Grey could not fight against Saruman the White.

A lightening struck the top of the cliff. Snow came tumbling down.

"Hold on!" she yelled and held her breath as the snow smashed atop the entire fellowship.

She almost gasped as the chilling cold hit her. She tightened her arms around Sam and dug her way out.

She gasped when her face hit fresh air and pulled the poor hobbit up. Legolas was up already and had just finish dragging Glimi up. The two worked together and soon all people were up.

Such a dangerous situation! She had prepared herself to fight monsters,but she had no idea how to fight the nature. The entire fellowship could have died together if they fell off the cliff or simply suffocated to death under the snow. She felt a little proud that Saruman failed to kill them.

" Gandalf,it's too dangerous! It would be a matter of time before we are all killed! We must get off the mountain!" she yelled out at the wizard.

"Make for the gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir yelled out his suggestion.

"The gaap of Rohan take us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn yelled back.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain,let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria!" Glimi reminded them.

Gandalf hesitated forra moment. Clearly he knew there was some terrible dangers in the deep mines of Moria.

"Let the Ring Bearer decides." He finally said.

Frodo glanced around at his freezing companions. "we will go through the mines."

So the fellowship made their way backto the pass of Caradhra. It was hard work,but they managed without anyone dying. The road going down was much easier than going up.

Finally they left the path of the freezing snow and arrived at the roads leading to Moria. Finally they reached there,under the cold,stone walls. A dark lake laid beside them,which made all of Aeldra's nerves screamed _get away from here. _

She tried ignored her nerves,but she couldn't.

She didn't look at what was happening until something shimmered into life on the wall near her.

"Doors of Durin,Lord of Moria. Speak,friend,and enter." Gandalf said loudly. So they had found the door.

She turned back to the lake and tried to sense what was inside. Something dangerous was hiding inside,but she didn't know what is it. All she could do is to pray that it would stay inside.

"Aeldra, do you sense something inside?" Legolas snuck up beside her.

She nearly jumped. " do not sneak up on me,elf!"

"My apologise,Aeldra. You also sense dangers too?"

"Something horrible was surely inside. But I do not wish to know." She shook her head. " Legolas,please don't call me Aeldra. She was the little girl that you found in the desert,dying from poison ten years ago. I am now Blaze,the Ranger who always travels with Strider. No one here except you and Aragorn know my true name."

"Why do you want to hide yourself?"he asked and sat down next to her.

She shuffled away from him slightly. "I am not ready."

"From what?"

The opening of the door saved her.

She stood up immediately and followed others inside.

Glimi was babbling in excitement, but his voice died when he saw what was inside.

"This is no mine." Boromir said shakily. " this is a tomb!"

Legolas bent down and pulled an arrow from a skeleton. Aeldra inched forward to him and gasped. " Globins!"

Everyone drew their weapons. "We make for the gap of Rohan. We should never have come here.

Frodo screamed.

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><p><strong>A tiny cliff hanger,but all of you know what is going to happen anyway :)<strong>

**I am getting busy now,so i may need to update slower T.T Weekday's homework is absolutely murder,and my dear mommy make me get in bed before 12 with her amazing non-stop mouth. i have inter-school basketball competition on every Sat in this month and I am super tired when i get back home so i can't update. i needa finish my weekend hw on Sun and i barely manage to squeez little time. i think updating once or twice in a week is still possible. sorry to all my lovely readers:(**

**please go ahead to REVIEW,FOLLOW,and FAVOURITE. i grinned like a madwoman everytime I saw a gmail telling me about my fanfic! love ya!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again. Thanks for all the supports you gave me! Before you started reading ch6,I wanna let you know some changes of the story.**

**Aeldra was now 19 instead of 15. Which means it was 14 years when Legolas first met Aeldra,when she was 5. I also correct some spelling and grammar mistakes. You can read it again if you feel confuse. There are only 5 ch that I change after all,not more than 7000 words.**

**Now,enjoy the story!**

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><p>Ch6<p>

"Aragorn! Blaze! Help!" the hobbit shrieked as the tentacle that was wrapping around his ankle dragged him backward.

Aeldra grabbed a throwing dagger at her belt and threw as hard as she could. The dagger plunged through the air with incredible speed and impaled into the flesh of the tentacle.

The other three hobbits pulled the horrified Frodo back.

There was a moment of silence.

Then twenty others tentacles erupted from the lake and shot towards Frodo again. One grabbed his ankle and lifted him up into the air.

Aragorn leapt to the tentacles and started slashing his way to Frodo. Aeldra stayed at her usual place beside the man and assisted him to Frodo.

Boromir was also slashing with his sword and Legolas fired one arrow after another to the tentacles.

Aragorn managed to slice at the one wrapping around Frodo. He caught the hobbit in his arms and turned around to leave the lake as quickly as possible.

Suddenly something soft and slimy wrapped around Aeldra's waist with her arms pinned to her side. She shrieked when she was lifted up into the air.

An arrow plunged into the flesh of the tentacle. It grazed her left wrist and left it stinging in pain, but she didn't mind.

The tentacle let go. She felt something warm falling from her left wrist, where it was hurt.

A silver bracelet.

She screamed and reached for it as she fell to the water. She could see the delicate silver flower shimmering and the pearl in the middle glowing faintly before it fell into the dark, murky lake.

"No!" she screamed and dove for the water. But strong arms caught her waist and dragged her backward. She thrashed, but she was thrust into the Door of Moria already.

She turned to go back to the lake, but rocks were tumbling from above the door. She had no option but to scrambled forward.

The rocks closed off the passage, but to her, it only closed off the passage to her bracelet.

Darkness consumed the fellowship. When Gandalf lighted up the surroundings with his staff, she found Boromir's hand garbbing her arm, his glare fixed on her face.

"Are you mad?" he yelled. "diving into the water only because you dropped something shiny into it… this is madness! You are just causing us troubles, girl, you should stay back in Rivendell!"

His voice wavered as he saw tears rolling down her face silently in the dim light. Aragorn walked beside her and pulled her into his chest. She sobbed into his shoulder.

"Is… is that something I said?" Boromir asked with a big scowl on his face.

"No." her voice was broken. "not at all."

"Then why are you crying?"

"The bracelet was her mother's." Aragorn explained darkly.

"Oh, it's just a bracelet, girl. You can just ask your mother if we go back…"

"I am the one who got her killed, but I don't know who is the bloody murderer!." She yelled.

Boromir stared for a while before whispering. "I am sorry."

She muttered in Aragorn's chest. "it is the only token that reminded me that I had a mother and she loved me. It is now gone… GONE!"

"We have to go,Blaze."Aragorn said gently to the raven hair.

"To where?" She swiped the tears from her face. She hated crying. It had been such long since she cried in front of anyone but Aragorn.

"We now have but one choice." Gandalf strode forward. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard, there are older and fouler things than the orcs in the deep places of the world. Quietly now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence will go unnoticed."

As they trudged forward, Aeldra cursed silently. She hated being trapped. But she had no option but to follow others forward into the deep mines of Moria.

Legolas, who was in the front of the fellowship suddenly slowed down until he was walking side-by-side with Aeldra, who was at the back.

"Aeld…Blaze. I have a question. And I desire you to answer me the truth."  
>"If you do not allow me to lie, allow me to refuse to answer." She glanced at him with both doubt, worry and fear in her eyes.<p>

"Are you a _Hunter_?"

She shuddered and glared at the elf. His gray eyes were firm and did not waver from her death glare.

"Are you?" he asked again.

"I think you know the answer." She answered coldly. He was surprised to find the icy steel in her voice.

"I never thought a Hunter really exist in Middle-Earth." He said with amazement. " I know nothing of Hunters beside that they possess great speed and strength. There was also rumors that they have powers that are against the nature. Are they true?"

"Yes." She said shortly. "how did you notice of what am I?"

" I saw the strength in your arm when you threw the knife at the tentacles, the speed was almost too fast for my elf eyes to follow. Then I recalled you picking up Sam and Merry as easily as picking up a leaf." He explained with awe in his eyes. " then I remembered ten years ago, when you were just five. I saw you leapt off the horse with grace that no elf possess and fought the orcs and Nazgul like a grown man. The questions had bothered me for long, but it the word _Hunter_ suddenly crossed my mind." He smiled, " and I am correct."

"I have to admit, Legolas, that you are very clever." She shook her head. "you are correct."

"And may I ask one more question?"

"I would like to stop you, but I do not think you will give up even if I ask you to."

"What are you hiding from?"

He saw her shudder again. " like anyone else. Sauron."

" Why would he hunts you? You may be a Hunter, but that wouldn't make him hunt you. Nobody would even know unless someone watched you as close as I did."

" That… I refuse to answer your question." She shot him a glare again.

"Why?"

Aeldra closed her mouth and stared forward stubbornly. She heard Aragorn sighed and spoke. " Blaze, very soon, you will need to face it. You are now among the fellowship. Your hiding days were over. You must face the world, the way now I bear the name Aragorn, Isildur's heir."

She looked up at her friend. " I thought you understood my burden,Aragorn."

"Blaze, look there."

"Do not try to distract me,Aragorn."

"_Aeldra_".

Something in his voice made her turned around. She only caught glimpse of two deadly reflections of eyes before they descended to disappearance.

"Gollum?" she said in surprise. "Why is that creature here?"

"He has been following us for three days."Aragorn replied.

"And you somehow forgot to tell me?" she questioned, annoyed. "I am quite surprise to find it entered Moria without my noticing. But I shall not be startled, for he was cunning enough to escape Mirkwood."

"It wasn't our fault." Legolas protested when he received the chiding look from the girl.

She shrugged and walked forward.

Soon, Gandalf led them to a room. Aeldra nearly ran into Glimi, who suddenly stopped in front of her.

Glimi knelt down in front of a great tomb. A beam of white light shone on the tomb, taking away all the dazzle out of the beautiful light.

Aeldra touched the dwarf's shoulder and read the words on the tomb aloud.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fudin. Lord of Moria."

"He is dead then, it's just as I had feared."Gandalf sighed and watched the miserable dwarf sadly. Then he bent down and picked up a great book. He blew the dust from it and read.

"_They have taken the bridge and the second hall… the pool is up to the wall at Westgate of the Watcher in the water took Oin. We have barred the gates,but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums… drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moved in the dark. We cannot get out." _Gandalf paused, "_ They are coming."_

Silence.

BOOM.

Everyone turned to where the sound rang. It was Pippin, who had twirled an arrow in a skeleton's body out of curiosity. The head of the skeleton rolled down a well and dragged down the body along with it. The chain and bucket that was connected with the body also weren't spared.

"Fool of a Took!" Pippin shrank at Gandalf's words. " Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Anger boiled in Aeldra's heart. She stormed to Pippin, who looked up at her with a hopeful stare, hoping the girl would save him from Gandalf.

Instead, she grabbed Pippin's ear and slapped his face hard. It wouldn't be hard enough to wound him, but enough to teach him a lesson.

Aragorn grabbed her arm before her second strike fell.

Then her ears caught some sound.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Boromir hurried to the door. Then he quickly jerked back as two arrows nearly impaled on his nose. He pushed the door closed with the help of Aragorn's.

" They have got a cave troll." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he barricaded the door with all weapons he found.

Then they hurried backward. Legolas and Aragorn had their bows and Boromir with his sword ready. Glimi stood on Balin's grave with a snarl on his face.

"Let them come!" he yelled. "There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still drews breath!"

The hobbits stood behind Gandalf, fear written on their faces. Here the fellowhip finally faced their first fight.

Aeldra stood beside Gandalf with her throwing daggers locked in her hands. When the door finally smashed open, four daggers flew out at once and each found a different target. One pierced through the body of one orc and didn't stop flying until it was buried in another's forehead.

Then she grabbed her two twin blades and lashed out. The weapons found their targets everytime they struck.

Keeping herself from getting slain by orcs wasn't hard, as she had fought them since she was four. But keeping herself alive and close to Frodo was the hard thing.

Then the cave troll stumbled in. An arrow hit its shoulder, but it ignored it completely.

It stared down as Sam blankly at first. Then it struck the hobbit with its chain, who darted forward between its legs to its back.

It bent down and looked for Sam, and Aeldra took this opportunity to lunged to its head and impaled her knife on its skull.

It screamed and she pressed it down before yanking her knife out and rolled away. Off balanced, the troll rolled forward and hit the floor painfully. But it managed to stood up and ran to Glimi, who had thrown his axe at its chest. The troll smashed its chain down at Glimi but he jumped off Balin's tomb and the tomb was destroyed completely.

Ouch. Sorry, Balin.

It smashed everyone out of its way and slashed its chain out at Legolas.

"Be careful!" she screamed as she hacked at an orc.

Legolas dodged its blows and danced up from the end of its chain to its hand gracefully. Then he jumped on its head and hit the place where Aeldra wounded before with two arrows. He leapt down before the painful troll grabbed him.

Three orcs decided to trap Aeldra together.

Did she mention she hated being trapped?

She slashed out at orc#1 with her left knife and stabbed at Orc#2 with her right dagger. She kicked at orc#3's face quickly. Although none of them were hurt, they were now wearied of the woman before them.

She decided to take one down quickly at first. Then she would deal with the remaining two.

She flashed her right dagger at orc#1's face. It immediately caught her dagger with its own sword,but she slashed from under him and cut a deep slash at its stomach. It howled in pain and fell back. The remaining two surged forward but she now had no problem fighting them.

She dropped down to duck a blow from orc#2 and swept one leg under its feet. Her dagger darted out under it and waited for it to fall on it.

She quickly turned to the next one and caught its sword with her dagger hilt. She twisted and the sword flew out of its hand. It cringed back but her other dagger had already found its target.

"Blaze! Behind you!" Legolas yelled.

She rolled aside just as a foot stepped onto where she was standing just a moment before. She heard it roared and when she looked up, there was an arrow in its mouth. It stumbled backward and finally collapsed.

"Hm. It looks quite dead." She sighed and kicked its butt.

She looked up at others and was horrified to find Frodo laying dead on the ground, a spear impaled into him.

Nonononononononononono.

She ran to him and saw Aragorn and Sam pulling him up.

"He is alive!" Sam cheered as Frodo sat up and kept saying "I am fine, I am alright."

"You should be dead, that spear would've skewered a wild boar!" Aragorn spoke in shock.

Frodo didn't answer him. He silently unbuttoned his shirt and revealed the silver shirt beneath.

"Mithril." Glimi mused. "you fully surprised us, Mr Baggins."

They didn't have time to rest. Distant shrieks and booms could be heard. There were shadows dancing on the corridor ourside.

The company swiftly followed Gandalf out.

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><p><strong>Really love you for reading!<strong>

**Sorry for the lack of updating, but i really am getting busy these days. At least this is the longest chapter! 2459 words! Who can believe that!**

**Thanks for all your support. Ya know what i love most. The capital letters that i always written here!**


	7. Chapter 7

**My apologize for not updating for more than a week. Really sorry! I am really damn busy! Please enjoy!**

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><p>Ch7<p>

As they ran, orcs started to crawl down the pillar. Soon, they were surrounded by a horribly large number of orcs. The monsters snarled and jeered them while closing the circle around them with their weapons drawn.

Suddenly there was a growl and orange light filled a doorway.

The orcs around them shrieked and all retreated like tides returning to the sea. Aeldra watched them hurrying back up the pillars. She had never seen an orc so frightened before.

"What is this new devilry?"Boromir asked as the ground started to tremble.

Gandalf cloased his eyes as if his mind had drifted away.

"A Balrog." Finally he opened his eyes and spoke quietly. " A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run! Quickly!"

The fellowship again launched themselves into a run. The fierce shadow pursued them from behind as they ran for the bridge that would lead them outside.

Boromir burst out of a doorway and nearly fell as they road was chopped off suddenly. Glimi and Legolas quickly pulled him back before he plunged into the darkness.

"Staris!This way!" Aeldra yelled and hurried down the stairs at the left side. As they ran, she could see the devil starting to close its distance to them.

"Run!" she screamed like a little girl and cursed silently at the dwarves who built the stairs without a railing. She gripped Frodo's arm tightly, for they couldn't afford to let the Ring Bearer died.

They soon stopped when a crack appeared in the stairs in front of them. It wasn't a long gap and Legolas leapt across it easily. He turned around and gestured others to jump.

Gandalf didn't hesitate. He leapt and Legolas caught him easily. Boromir grabbed Merry and Pippin and lunged across the gap.

But then the some more rocks fell from the gap and made a longer distance between them. Glimi jumped across the gap himself but nearly slipped. Legolas reached out just to gabbed a fistful of his beard, earning a dirty protest from the dwarf.

Aeldra grabbed Frodo and prepare to throw him, but the gap widened again and she was forced to pushed Frodo back. Only her, Aragorn,Sam and Frodo was now trapped at the other side.

"Blaze, throw Frodo." Aragorn commanded. Clearly, he wasn't strong enough but didn't doubt her strength.

She grabbed Frodo around the waist and pushed him forward as hard as she could. She saw the hobbit shrieked as he sailed through the air but landed safely at the arms of Boromir.

"Blaze, jump." Aragorn commanded again.

She was quite positively sure that she could leap with no problem,but…

"What about you? I do not think I am strong enough to throw you and Sam."

"Just jump."

"And leave you here? No! You may fall!"

"King's order. Go!"

He gave her back a violent push and she fell forward towards the gap. She had no choice but to leapt across it to avoid plunging to her death.

She landed lightly but Legolas caught her anyway. For a moment, she felt safe in the elf's arms, but her eyes caught something and she shoved him behind her.

Pain exploded at her right shoulder. Legolas cried out in alarm and caught her left arm. " oh no, Blaze, you are shot by an arrow!"

She blinked the pain away just to see Sam and Aragorn landing beside them. She didn't have the space to wonder how did they got here. All she wanted is to get the bloody pain stopped.

"Run!" Gandalf yelled and hurried forward.

"Can you walk?" Legolas asked.

He didn't ask for her answer. He caught her and swung her up in his arms, one of his hand at her back and one under her bent knees.

" You insufferable elf." She complained but put her good arm around his neck anyway.

She just let him carried her forward, as she knew she couldn't run without slowing others down. Legolas, being the incredible elf, managed to run without slowing down even with a person in his arms.

If under normal circumstance, she would enjoy to be carried by an elf like Legolas. But this was no normal circumstance. They were being pursued, and her shoulder was burning with numbing agony.

Fire started to spread around them as the Balrog approached. Sparks flew around.

Suddenly her wounded shoulder felt as if a blade had pierced into the flesh. It was a white-hot agony that shot through her entire body to a shudder. Her vision sparked with red before everything turned dark.

0oo0

Something sour exploded in her mouth.

She coughed and opened her eyes to see a pair of silver eyes looking back at her.

"She is awake." He sighed.

She groaned in pain and looked to her shoulder. It was bandaged, but she was also surprised to find her chest was only covered with her underwear. She could see her blouse, jacket and cloak beside her.

She raised an eyebrow at Aragorn, who was studying her.

"I cannot remove the arrow without taking off your clothes. I have to cut some flesh near your wound to make enough space to pull the tip out." He answered grimly as he handed her back her clothes.

Her shirt was completely torn and useless now. She pulled on her jacket and cloak hastily and looked around.

Boromir and Glimi were also beside her. The hobbits were cuddling together not far away. Were they… crying?

Gandalf was nowhere to be seen. A horrible thought crept up her mind.

"Gandalf?" sheasked,bracing herself for the answer.

"He fell." Aragorn said shortly.

Aeldra didn't say anything. She remembered the wise gray eyes when she first saw him. She had just arrived at Rivendell for a few months at that time. The wizard had been surprised to find a Hunter with two long braids in Rivendell. He had hold her hand and studied her with such intense eyes that she cringed away from him and hid behind Elrond.

After she started travelling with Aragorn, the number of times he had saved them were impossible to count. She had always wanted to repay him, but she didn't have the chance.

And she never would.

"May him rest in peace." She said simply. The pain of losing her entire family had done some wounds in her mind that could never be healed.

"You should cry to relieve the pain, Blaze." Legolas said

"Did you cry?" she demanded with no grief in her voice.

" We must reach Mirkwood." Aragorn stood up. "Get up,everybody."

Legolas scooped Aeldra up in his arms again.

"I can walk." She complained.

"Not a chance." He walked forward.

She sighed and let him carried her off.

0oo0

"Blaze," he called. "Wake up."

She didn't remember falling asleep, but she clearly had. She looked up at Legolas's face and realized he had been watching her sleep.

"Tell me you were not watching."

"For four hours." He replied.

She groaned and looked around. "where are we?"

"Inside Mirkwood." He answered as he carefully set her down on her feet.

"Mirkwood?" she remembered coming here once. She was still a child by then.

"Have you heard of the sorceress that lived in here?" he asked in a low voice.

"I do not remember much, but I remembered she was no sorceress. She was an elf maiden, as I recall."

"Truly? I…"

She froze as an arrow suddenly appeared and was aimed at her unfortunately. Legolas instinctively pushed her behind him and raised his own bow.

She relaxed a little as she saw Haldir walking out among the elves crowd. " the dwarf is so loud that we can shoot him in the dark."

"_Haldir of Lorien. We come here for help. We need your protection." _Aragorn spoke.

"_Haldir_!" she limped up to him. "_it is my pleasure to see you once more."_

"_So is mine, my lady." _He smiled but the smile disappeared almost immediately_. "Are you hurt?"_

She nodded.

"Aragorn, these woods are perilous. We should go back." Glimi called out, glancing at the arrows.

" You have enter the realm of the Lady of the Wood, dwarf, you cannot go back." He announced, " she is waiting."

He offered her his arm, which she gladly accepted as they walked.

"_How are you wounded, Aeldra?"_ he asked quietly.

"_I was shot by an orc when I passed through the mines of Moria."  
>"The mines of Moria? None dare to set foot on it!" <em>he exclaimed.

"_I fear it isn't my choice." _She shook her head.

"_Is your old wound splitted?"_ he asked in concern.

"_No. I am surprise that you still remember this, Haldir."_

"_It is not like I would encounter child dying of pit-poison everyday."_

"_Nine years ago." _She grinned a little. "_ I am surprise you still recognize me after so many years."_

" _Your face is quite…"_ he stopped, realizing he was being impolite to pointout the ugliness of the maiden's face.

"_Remarkable?" _she suggested.

He smiled.

Soon, they arrived inside their palace. It was as beautiful as Aeldra remembered. The long glowing stairs, the lamps by the trees, the tunnels swirling around the trunks of the enormous trees, lights that shimmered like diamonds that dangled in the air.

Soon they reached a place that Aeldra guessed as the heart of Lothlorien. Silver light flooded out between white pillars and to figure slowly walked down the stairs.

Then she saw the beautiful face of Galadriel.

Her blue eyes swept through the fellowship in silence with no emotion.

"Eight there are and yet nine were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him." Celeborn spoke grimly.

"He has fallen into shadow." Galadriel spoke, her voice ringing like bell. "the quest stands upon the edge of a knife," she paused. "stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all." She looked around and fixed her eyes at Boromir, who gulped and made some strange noises.

"Yet hope remains while the company is true." She continued once she looked away. " do not let your hearts be troubled."

She looked at each body one by one in eyes until they rested on Aeldra's

_Aeldra the destinied. Your time has come. You shall not hide in shadows anymore. The prophecy is yet to come and you, shall see it done._

She replied silently._ But I am not yet ready, my lady._

_You are ready, Aeldra. You have spent your entire life waiting for your twentieth birthday. Your heart is not ready._

Then Galadriel spoke out loud. "Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace. Blaze, come here and let me tend to your wound."

Others gave her some encouraging smiles as she followed Galadriel away.

She took her to a small pond, which the water shimmered like glass. Galadriel took the glass vase beside the pond and filled some water in the container.

"Show me your shoulder." She commanded.

Aeldra took off her cloak obediently and slid off the sleeve of her jacket. Galadriel removed the bandage and rested the vase against Aeldra's neck. Water flowed down and washed over her wound. Instantly, the numbing pain faded and changed into the stung that told her that her skin was stitching back together.

"Thank you, my Lady." She nodded at Galadriel.

The Lady nodded. "Aeldra, would you tell me, why did you follow Aragorn out of Rivendell ten years ago?"

"I… I think I should prepare myself, being the only Hunter left in the world and because of…" her voice caught.

"The prophecy." Galadriel finished the sentence for her. "Aeldra, a Hunter is borned stronger and faster than human. They have eyesight as good as elves. They are much more clever and mature than their actual ages. They were borned warriors and could fight very well. And the most of all, they are brave. That is why they exist to protect human. You do know these, I hope?"

She nodded.

" There was a time when there are many Hunters that draw breathes. They passed one by one after the battle until none was left."

"Aeldra, you are now the only Hunter that stood now. You must bear the burden of the world on your own. But you are not alone. You have Aragorn, son of Arathorn by your side. He will stand by your side till the end of the world."

"My Lady… it is the prophecy that I… I…"

"You are truly ready, my child. Your father had started to trained you when you are three. Aragorn and Glorfindel had taken up since you were six. Your ten years of a Ranger life had helped you a lots. What you lack is bravery."

She remained quiet.

"We both know what will happens. You cannot hide from the future. Be brave and stand up to it."

"You don't understand, my Lady. You have never faced that danger before." She looked up and the elf, who was looking down at her with sadness.

Aeldra whispered. " the prophecy said I am going to die in a few months!"

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><p><strong>Yoooo, she is gonna die? What is going on?<strong>

**Thank you for reading although my writing isn't nice and I am not updating recently. I bet any of you can beat a pathetic HK girl like me in writing :( **

**Good news is: I am gonna have quite a long holiday in China over here, which means more updates! I am waiting so badly to get to the romance part.**

**Late Happy Valentine's day!**


	8. Chapter 8

**My sincere thanks for my supporters! Ch8 is finally here!**

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><p>Ch8<p>

Legolas was worried.

Aeldra hadn't return since Galadriel invited her away to heal her shoulder wound. He knew the Hunter was safe in the hands of the Lady, but he couldn't help feeling nervous being parted from her for such a long time.

Finally she was back.

There was something different about her. Her back was no longer hunched and was straight. Her head held high in the air. It seemed as if something heavy had been removed from her shoulders.

When she came closer, he realized she was actually wearing a dress. Not exactly a gorgeous one, but the point was that Aeldra, Blaze, was wearing a dress.

It was a plain white dress and Aeldra seemed to be gleaming silver shrouded by the pale light of the moon. For an instant, all the ugliness of her face disappeared. He saw a beautiful woman walking under a sky of stars, the only light in the darkness.

"Do not look at me in that way, Legolas." She blushed

"I didn't think you possess such beauty in a dress,Aeldra."

"Don't call me Aeldra. Lady Galadriel desired me to wear this."

He smiled and offered her some food. " Are you hungry?"

"Very," she took the plate from him and quickly gulped them down.

"Do you more?" he asked after she set the plate down.

"No thanks." She smiled and found a spot beside Aragorn and laid down.

Legolas smiled at the girl whom he had rescued so many years ago. He still couldn't believe that the little child so many years ago had grown to such a woman.

0oo0

"_Aeldra."_

Aeldra opened her eyes. There was no one near her, but she was sure she heard Lady Galadriel's voice.

"_Come to me,Aeldra. Follow my voice, and you shall seek me."_

She stood up groggily from sleep and walked off to where she felt the voice came from.

As she suspected, Lady Galadriel was standing on her own beside a thing like a little pool.

"Look into the mirror,Aeldra."

So it was actually a mirror.

"What is it?" she asked as she stepped forward.

"Your soul is burdened with the future. I think having glimpses of future may help you."

Aeldra slowly looked into the mirror below the water. At first she saw nothing but her own horrible face, but then the water rippled and she saw something elses.

She first saw herself, no older than four. She was sitting on her mother's lap on the ground. Her father was showing Deveron how to throw a knife. She giggled as her brother nearly impaled the tip into his own thigh.

Then the image shifted.

She was fighting side by side with Aragorn, but something about her face was different and she realized she was looking in the future now. She looked at her own features and swallowed back a gasp.

The scene shifted again.

She saw herself standing among a crowd of soldiers, with Legolas standing beside her, clasping her shoulder tightly. She watched herself fell on the ground, twitching in pain as black blood flowed freely from her chest. Then she fell limp.

She pulled herself away from the mirror. Just before her eyes left it, she saw the scene shifted for the last time and showed something that horrified her most.

She saw someone's lips against hers.

She launched herself backward and pressed her back on the wall. Lady Galadriel was watching her closely, her blue eyes piercing.

She slid on the ground, panting.

"Tell me how do you feel." The Lady gazed at her with some sadness in her eyes.

"I… I… I don't know. My death… it wasn't that surprising, but… I never let anyone but Aragorn grew close to me. I don't want to break anyone's heart, especially I only have so little time left. But… that scene…"

"Aeldra, we would like to control things. But when things go out of control, we must learn to live with it."

She looked at the Lady with pain in her eyes. "why did you burden me with so much more?"

"Aeldra…"

But she had ran away already.

She slowed down when she was sure she was away from all people. The scene replay in her mind again and again. She couldn't see whom that one was and she didn't want to know whom that one is.

"Aeldra?"

No.

"Leave me alone."

"What's wrong? Your spirit was light when you returned from the Lady at first, why do you look so much burdened now?" Legolas sat down beside her and took her hand gently. Her hand tingled from the touch.

"I… leave me be." Her voice broke.

"I will not leave you here in this condition." He said stubbornly.

"I told you to leave!" she yelled.

He shuddered a little from her yell. Instead of leaving, he pulled her close. "tell me what happened. I swear on my honor that I will not tell a single soul."

"Just… don't say anything, alright? It is peace that I want."

Legolas didn't say anything. He let her rest her head on his shoulder and murmered. "As you wish, my Lady."

"Don't call me that."

He laughed. "Go to sleep."

She obediently closed her eyes and replied. "you are as stubborn as a dwarf."

"So are you."

She relaxed into Legolas and let sleep drew her under.

0oo0

Legolas looked down at Aeldra when he woke up.

Her head was still on his shoulder and a scarred hand in his. He had also fallen asleep with his head atop hers and an arm around her waist.

She looked peaceful for once. Her hair was brushing gently against her cheeks.

He watched the rhythm of her breathing changed. Her eyelashes fluttered and her eyes opened.

She seemed confuse at first. Then her eyes met his and she pushed him away as hard as she could.

"Bah!" she yelled and scrambled backward.

"Come on, Blaze. You do not need to be so… reactive." He laughed as he stood up.

She shot him a glare and turned away.

A light breeze caught her loose hair and the black strands lifted up a little from her ear before setting down.

"Aeldra…your left ear!"

Her hand flew up to her left ear, her eyes wild and angry.

Legolas knelt down beside her and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. He gently forced her hand away from her ear and used his free hand to pushed her hair behind her left ear.

He gazed at the pointy left ear in surprise. He never questioned why did she always use her hair to cover her ears, but he understood now. She had been hiding.

He carefully touched the ear, scared that it was just a hallucination. But it wasn't.

"You are an elf?" he stared up at those blue eyes.

"Half elf, actually." She blushed and lifted up the hair on her right ear. It was round like any other human.

"An elf." He exclaimed in amazement. "Who can imagine that? A Hunter with elvish blood inside her! Is that your father or mother?"

"Father." She muttered.

"Can I see…" he caught himself. Aeldra had never talked of her family. All he knew is that her mother was killed. He was lucky enough to learn her real name. Her father… he feared that something horrible had also happened to him.

"He is dead." She said smoothly. "he was killed the day you found me dying of poison."

Then she spinned around and walked away from Legolas.

0oo0

Before they left, they were each given en elven cloak and lembas bread that should be enough to last for a month or two. Aeldra was also given a set of new clothes that was like the one she originally had. At last, Galadriel gave each member of the fellowship a gift.

Boromir was given a golden belt while Pippin and Merry were given silver belts. Sam received a long strand of elven rope and Glimi had three strands of Lady Galadriel's long golden hair.

Aeldra watched the Lady gave Aragornn the Elfstone, which she later learned that it was a precious stone that was once Arwen's. Aeldra could see the small blush of her friend when he took the Elfstone in his hand.

Then Galadriel turned to her and rested a necklace in the girl's hand.

"Aeldra the Hunter. I hope the Heart of Senthuriel may help your heart choose the path that you desire in the darkness." she close the necklace in Aeldra's hand. " Farewwll, Blaze. Do not let fear rule you."

Aeldra nodded and walked to the boats that was waiting for them.

Aragorn was helping Sam and Frodo into a boat. He glanced at her with a look that told her : sorry. No space left.

She sighed and walked to Legolas and Glimi's boat.

"Hello,my Lady." Legolas offered Aeldra a hand, which she accepted and slid into the boat.

Aeldra opened her hand and gazed at the necklace in her hand.

A silver pendant was hung loosely on the gold chain.

Its shape was a twirling heart with a large red gem in the middle. The dazzling reddish glow wasn't sharp, just glimmering little sparks. Around the heart were hundreds of tiny little pearls. The entire pendant was glowing red and silver.

"It was beautiful." Legolas peeked at it.

"Certainly." Aeldra nodded. She silently wondered what can a little necklace help her with her decisions. "What is your gift, Legolas?"

"Galadhrim bow stung with elf hair and arrows." He replied. "a much longer shooting range it would give."

"I am never good at shooting." She smiled. "I only use knives."

"I would teach you if you wish." He smiled into her eyes.

She smiled and looked down at the Heart of Senthuriel. She could feel his blue gaze on the back of her head and she blushed at her necklace.

She silently thanked Glimi when he broke the awkward silence. "I ask one piece of hair from her golden head. She gave me three!"

So the three talked a lots as they sailed their boats towards Mordor. Glimi continued to babble of the beauty of Lady Galadriel and the adventures that his father, Gloin, had. Legolas taught Aeldra some tricks of shooting. Aeldra didn't say anything but merely listen. The three had grown a lots closer.

So they sailed their boats for a few days before they stopped at the shore and prepared to rest there for a night.

She sat down and closed her eyes, preparing for a sleep before she took watch.

"Aeldra." Someone shook her shoulder.

She looked up at the concern face of Aragorn's, "Is something wrong?"

"Have you seen Frodo?"

She glanced around. "No. I have been resting. How long is he gone?"

"We notice his disappearance only a few moments ago." Legolas pulled her to her feet.

"Boromir is also gone." Glimi said.

Aeldra shot Aragorn a look. They both knew that Boromir had been falling to the power of the Ring. Now that the him and the Ring-bearer had disappeared together… not a good sigm.

"We would search for them together." Aragorn said. " Pippin, Merry, stay here. Be careful and watched out, for both Legolas and I sense dangers near. Glimi, Legolas, go search the north. Aeldra would search south with me."

There was no objection. They split into three and quickly looked around for Frodo and the Son of the Steward of Gondor.

"Aragorn." She caught at the man's sleeve when her ears suddenly caught some sound. "Wait."

Aragorn knew better to stay silent instead of asking. He watched the Hunter closed her eyes in concentration before snapping her head up. "This way!"

Aragorn immediately hurried after her. She could actually run faster with the elvish blood in her veins, but she always enjoy walking slowly. Thus that always resulted of her dragging him along when they were running away from dangers but her complaining when they were simply wandering.

Soon, they saw the hobbit standing alone.

"Frodo!" she called out and Frodo turned to them, his eyes full of fright.

"What happened?" she approached him.

"The Ring had taken Boromir." Frodo said weakly.

"Where is the Ring?" Aragorn immediately tensed up.

"Stay away from me!" he yelled in alarm and leapt backward.

"Frodo… we swore to protect you." Aeldra spoke with pain in her voice.

He extended his hand and showed the gleaming Ring on his palm. "Can you protect me from yourself?"

Aragorn seemed to freeze for a moment. His gaze was fixed on the Ring for a while, as if in a trance. But Aeldra trusted her friend that he was strong enough to withstand the power.

She watched as Aragorn closed Frodo's hand around the Ring. " we would have gone with you to the end into the very fires of Mordor."

"I know." He said softly, almost at the edge of tears. " Look after others, especially Sam. He will not understand."

Aeldra kissed his forehead. "I promise we will."

Suddenly Aragorn hissed. "Blaze," and unsheathed his sword. Aeldra didn't question it but simply drew both of her knives as well. They had learned not to doubt others' instincts long ago.

"Go, Frodo." Aragorn said. Frodo gripped the hilt of his sword and pulled it a little out quickly. The blade was glowing blue.

"RUN!" Aragorn hissed harshly and turned away. Aeldra immediately followed him after she made sure Frodo had left. She found both of them facing an army of Orcs.

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><p><strong>Come on, just type a few reviews, alright? Fav,Follow also please! I need you guys' support to continue the story! I don't want to give it up!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**This ch is actually one of my favourite ch coz quite an awful lots happens in this one. Enjoy!**

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><p>Ch9<p>

Aeldra and Aragorn walked towards the orcs side by side. Considering there were only two of them and one hundred of orcs before them, they were quite calm. Actually, it was the orcs that were scared as they all felt the aura of death surrounding the man and the woman. There had been rumors of two of them killing thousands of theit folks.

Finally one of the orcs couldn't hold any longer. It surged forward and the others orcs immediately followed. Aeldra spinned the daggers in her hands and lashed out together along with Aragorn.

She guessed the orcs must have seen her as a weaker target as she was a girl. She raised the knives that she had grown up with and slashed out at the closest orc.

Her fighting skills may not be as well as Aragorn, but her speed and grace must be certainly greater than him. She dodged under killing blows and gave the attacker a little stab and whoop, dead. She seemed to be at everywhere at once. She was almost dancing, moving swiftly among the enemies for offences and defenses at once. None managed to set a hand on her when she twirled around the orcs. The orcs were a river of water and Aragorn was the rock that stopped the flow. She was the fish that swam between them.

They fought as a team, fighting back to back which they had done a million of times before. But no matter how well did they fight, they were still far too much outnumbered. They retreated slowly and Aragorn yelled to Aeldra. "I will hold them! Find Legolas and Glimi. Then…"

"Find the half-breeds!" yells were heard.

"Yeah, find the hobbits and protect them! Go!" he gave Aeldra a little shove, which required really nice fighting skills because it was quite hard to push your friend when you were engaged in battles.

Aeldra didn't want to leave her friend alone, but she knew he was right.

"Good luck." She told him and whirled around and ran off like wind.

There was a little problem when you were running too fast. If you accidentally tripped on some branches, then some bones would certainly had a horrible fate. She learned this in a hard way many years before. Her ankle would still hurt like hell sometimes.

It wasn't hard to find Legolas and Glimi as they were coming for her and Aragorn already.

"The hobbits! Where are they?" Aeldra grabbed Legolas's arm.

"Merry and Pippin were well hidden. As for Sam and Frodo, we do not know."

She opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't have the chance. An orc knocked her down on the ground and she swiftly stabbed it. She glanced up and wasn't happy to know the orcs had already surrounded them.

"We need to help Aragorm. Come on!" Glimi cried out and the three sprang towards where the Ranger was while hacking at the orcs in their way.

She was very relieved to find him still fighting when they arrived.

"Go, Aragorn!" Legolas called out as he hurried to them.

As she fought, she couldn't keep her mind off Frodo, which was really bad, as you need to keep your mind blank and concentrated on your enemy while fighting.

She didn't know how long had passed until she heard the horn blowing. It seemed like a thousand years and a few seconds at the same moment.

"The Horn of Gondor!" Legolas lowered his bow.

"Boromir!" Aragorn hurried to where the sound came from.

Aeldra tried to follow, but the other three were cut off by another wave of orcs. She cursed and started slashing at them. A few minutes had passed but when she killed one, two would take its place. No matter how hard they tried, it seemed impossible to finish them off.

Aeldra wasn't patient with her mind occupied with the safety of Aragorn and Frodo. She ducked away from the orcs and hurried after Aragorn, feeling a little guilty for leaving Legolas and Glimi behind.

She looked around and found Aragorn fighting another orc which was a lots huger than others. He seemed to be having trouble to kill it. She quickened her pace as she was helpless being such a long way from him.

Finally he had his sword impaled in its stomach. However, instead of falling down in pain, it plunged the sword even deeper into its own body to moved its face closer to Aragorn. She closed her fingers around the hilt of one of her throwing daggers and threw.

It sailed beautifully in the air and severed its head from its body perfectly. Aragorn looked at her in surprise but turned away to run for something. Aeldra turned around to make sure he wasn't running from some kind of devil before following him.

She stared in horror when she saw Boromir laying on the ground but with three arrows piercing his chest.

"No." she whispered.

"They took the little ones." Boromir pant. Aeldra immediately touched his wound. With one single touch, she knew nothing would save him now.

"Frodo. Where is Frodo?" he demanded.

"We let Frodo go." Aragorn replied softly.

"Then you did what I could not." He trembled. "I try to take the ring from him"

"The ring is beyond our reach now." Aragorn bit his lip.

"Forgive me. I did not see it." Boromir spoke with shame in his eyes." I have fail you all."

"You fought bravely." Aeldra touched his cheek. " You kept your honor."

She again reached for his wound, but he pushed her hand away. "Leave it. It is over. The world of Men will fall and will come to darkness and my city to ruin."

"I do not know what strength in my blood." Aragorn spoke with passion " But I swear to you I will not let the White City fall. Nor our people fall."

"Our people…" Boromir repeated. "our people."

Legolas and Glimi arrived at this point but kept their distance from the three of them.

With difficulties, he turned to Aeldra. "I… will you do two things for me?"

"Say it." She nodded at him.

"What is your true name?"

"Aeldra." She smiled sourly at him. "A-E-L-D-R-A."

"A beautiful name that fit a warrior like you. And…" he hesitated a little before opening his mouth again. " may you take off your mask and let me gaze at your true face for once… before I die?"

Legolas didn't understand what he was saying. Aeldra didn't say anything but merely stared at him.

"I… I recognized it. I used to use a mask like yours to trick… trick my brother when I was young." He managed to explain.

Legolas looked at Aeldra's inhuman face. He started to understand why her face had transformed so much since thirteen years ago. It didn't transform at all if he was right. Instead…

Aeldra nodded. "As you wish."

He watched her raised her hand to her jaw and peeled the fabric away.

Legolas gasped as a beautiful face appeared behind the mask. His vision tunneled to her face and he couldn't believe there was a face that possess such beauty. He could easily admit her as the goddess of beauty with that breathtaking face of hers. She was so much more beautiful than Lady Galadriel in his eyes. It was pale but with a reddish glow. There were no more wrinkles and the face was young like seventeen or eighteen instead of a woman approaching her twenty. His gaze traveled up and down her face hungrily, finding the beauty increasing by seconds.

"Such a beautiful face hidden under the mask. You just look like Saphriant. Saph. Saph." Boromir gasped.

"She was my mother." She answered sadly.

He smiled. "I believe Saphriant did has a good life." Then he turned back to Aragorn and spoke. "I will follow you my brother…my captain. My king."

Life left his eyes just like that.

"Be at peace." Aragorn muttered. "Son of Gondor."

Aeldra knelt down beside the man and planted a kiss on the dead man's forehead. "Farewell." She whispered.

They placed his body in a boat and let the water carried him away. They watched as the boat reached the waterfall and disappeared.

Legolas glanced at Aeldra. There were sadness on her face and yet no tear in her eyes.

"Aren't you sad?" he asked softly.

"I do grieve for his death, but I will not cry, in case that is what you wish." She replied.

"I do not understand why your heart was so cold and hard." He sighed.

"I do not understand why won't you leave me alone." She replied harshly and turned towards Aragorn, who seemed to be a great deal sadder than her.

Legolas sighed and decided to concentrated on the most important matter. "Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." Legolas spoke and pushed the last boat in the river, preparing to follow the two hobbits.

Aeldra gazed out at the opposite shore. She could see the figures of two hobbits shuffling into the woods. But neither her nor Aragorn moved.

Legolas glanced at her and Aragorn. "You mean not to follow them."

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn nodded.

"Then it has all been in vain. The fellowship has failed." Glimi groaned.

Aeldra and Aragorn looked at each other. She understood what he was thinking immediately. Her face slowly stretched into a smile.

"Not if we hold true to each other." He announced and clasped Legolas's and Glimi's shoulders. "We can't abandon Merry and Pippin to certain torment and death." He pulled away from them and patted Aeldra's back. "Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind." A grin escape his face. "Let's go hunt some orcs."

He sheathed a knife and turned to the woods. Aeldra shot the elf and dwarf a smile and chased after Aragorn. She could hear Glimi's laugh before they quickly ran after her and Aragorn.

She would not fail them.

She will not.

* * *

><p><strong>tFotR is finished and will move to the second one!<strong>

**I have been waiting for long to show Aeldra's true face. Boromir has suspected it for a long time already. She is actually a knockout instead of an ugly girl! So why does she do that? The truth of her past will come out in a few chaps.**

**I know this ch is actually quite short comparing to the last few chaps, but I want to stop it where the movie ends. I promise I will update as soon as possible!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi, I'm back again with ch10! The Two Towers, ready, set, GO!**

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><p>Ch 10<p>

Fourteen hours.

That was exactly how long they had ran. They had only stopped for a few minutes for some water and food before hurrying forward again.

"Aragorn?" Legolas called out at the leading man.

"Yes?"

"Aeldra and Glimi seemed to be too weary to run."

Aragorn looked back at his two companions. " We shall rest an hour later."

"I do not know if they can help themselves to run for one more hour."

"You may carry Glimi if you wish to." The Ranger smirked.

"Oh, I do not concern about the dwarf. What about Aeldra? She…"

"I assure you,_ mellon_, she is fine. You may ask her for her condition if you wish. If she is tired, we shall rest immediately."

Legolas slowed down until he was beside the half elf and the dwarf. "Aeldra? Are you tired?"

Aeldra gave him a mischievous smile. Then she sped up so much that he almost couldn't catch up.

She slowed down a little to wait for Legolas. "I am simply keeping Glimi accompanied and making sure he wouldn't collapsed. I could bet that I could run even better than you."

"Are we in a competition?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I heard Aragorn saying we will rest an hour later. We do not have enough time for a competition. We shall compete each other after tonight's rest." She replied and gained on speed again until she caught up with Aragorn. "Aragorn, I think Glimi is dying over there. Shall we have a little rest before he fall dead on the ground? The last thing I want is to lose one more member of the fellowship."

Aragorn laughed. "What a great concern of yours, my friend."

So they stopped and sat down to rest. Glimi fell asleep almost immediately after a gulp of water and bread. Aeldra carefully covered him up and lain him down on the ground.

Legolas silently watched her. Her face was not as pale as before now. She had not put on the mask anymore since Boromir requested her to take it off. She also allowed others to call her Aeldra now.

She ate some bread with her fingers playing with the Heart of Seuthuriel idly. Finally she wrapped her cloak around herself and curled up to sleep.

A dream came to her almost as quickly as she fell asleep.

There was nothing but absolute darkness.

"Surrender to me, little Hunter." A voice echoed in the darkness. It was as cold as ice and as sharp as blade. " surrender, and I may heal your wound. I will let your loved ones raised from the dead. Come to Mordor, child."

"No!" she cried out. "No!"

"It is your choice, Hunter. You are going to die anyway. Why don't you try to live?"

"SHUT UP AND BE GONE!" she yelled and woke up, shivering.

"Are you alright?" she realized Legolas, who was on watch, was staring at her.

"Nothing." She murmered and rolled to her side to sleep again.

She stared at the night sky for the rest of the night.

0oo0

"Their pace quickened. They must have caught our scent." Aragorn raised from a rock. "Hurry!"

"Come on Glimi!" Legolas called out at the panting dwarf.

"Mind yourself, elf." Aeldra laughed and ran past Legolas.

"That was cheating!" he hurried to her.

"No, no, not at all." She grinned and turned back to concentrated on running.

A few hours later, he caught up with her again and overran her. She grabbed the back of his cloak and dragged him back as unfairly as you could say.

"Aeldra." Aragorn called out when he stopped and Aeldra nearly ran past him.

She stopped and knelt down next to the Ranger. She gasped when she saw the thing in his hand. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall."

"They may yet be alive." Legolas peered at Aragorn's hand.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come!" Aragorn stood up and started running again. Aeldra gave a little groan but quickly followed him.

"Come on Glimi, we are gaining on them!" she heard Legolas calling out at the dwarf.

Finally Aragorn stopped and gazed out at the land. "Rohan."

"Home of the horse-lord." She let out a deep breath but then scowled. "Aragorn… I sensed that something is wrong in here."

"Some evil gives speed to these creatures, set its will against us." Aragorn agreed. "Legolas, what do your elf eyes see?"

"The Urucks turn northeast…" Legolas studied for a while before exclaiming. "They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

"Saruman." Aragorn spat out the name like a curse.

"Let us go swiftly." Aeldra immediately hurried forward, ignoring the near-death Glimi completely. "Once Saruman learned that they did not possess the Ring, he would kill them for certain after torturing the information out of their lips. Come on!"

So swiftly they went. They didn't rest at night as they were all filled with renew determination.

Dawn soon broke over their head. Legolas slowed down and looked back. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night."

The continued to run until it was some hour near noon. Aragorn slowed down and turned back to his companions. He must have sensed something.

Aeldra listened. She could hear the sound of hooves clapping against the ground.

She quickly grabbed Glimi's arm and dragged him towards a pile of rocks, where Aragorn signaled them to hide behind.

Just a moment after they hid, a large group of cavalry appeared from behind them. She silently scolded herself for not noticing such a large group sooner.

Aragorn walked out from the rocks and yelled."Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"

At a signal from the leading one, all the riders turned and rode towards them. She took a step back when they quickly encircled the four of them. She could of course break out of the riders easily, but she had no intention of offending Rohan. She drew up her hood quickly so they would see her as a man instead of a girl.

She started to lose this thought when all the spear was pointed at them.

A man rode forward to them. She could recognize him as the leader. "What business does an elf, two man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?"he demanded.

When none answered him. "Speak quickly!"

"Give me your name, horsemaster," Glimi replied. " and I shall give you mine."

Aeldra forced back a laugh and watched Eomer get off his horse. She touched Glimi's shoulder lightly, gesturing him to calm down.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood a little higher from the ground." He spat.

Aeldra opened her mouth to speak something really horrible about the hair on his helmet but Legolas had aimed an arrow at him faster than her sight.

"You would die before your stroke fell." He growled and all spears were pushed even closer to him. She caught his arm and forced his bow down before anything went ill.

"I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Glimi, son of Gloin, Legolas from the Woodland Realm and Blaze, my cousin." he introduced her in the way he used to use to avoid confusion.

"Blaze? Give me your true name." the leader glared at her.

"Indeed it was my cover name." she threw back her hood, revealing the pale face and long raven hair under. "I am Aeldra, a daughter of a mere elf from Rivendell and a maid from Minas Tirith. I am also the only Hunter left in Middle-Earth, if you had heard of this species before."

Legolas could see the rider's eyes fixed on her face intensely. He couldn't blame him to stare at that way as the last thing the rider expected was to see such a beautiful face appeared out from nowhere.

"I do have heard of the tales of Hunters, though I do not recall much now…"

"We would talk of the matter of Hunters later." Aragorn interrupted. " We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king." He emphasized at the word_ king._

"Theoden no longer recognizes friends from foes." The rider spoke bitterly and removed his helmet. "Not even his own kin."

There must be some signal by removing the helmet as all the spears were withdrawn at the same moment. Aeldra let out a breath that she didn't realized she was holding.

"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land." He explained. "My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished."

"The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked." He spoke, giving Legolas a meaningful look, "and everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

"We are no spies." She stood in front of Legolas, a hand on his arm. "We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains."

"They have taken two of our friends captive." Aragorn added.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Eomer scowled.

"But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?" Glimi let out a rush of words.

When the rider seemed to be confused with the word_ hobbit_, Aragorn explained briefly. "They would be small, only children to your eyes."

The next four words were like four blows to her chest. "We left none alive."

"None?" she whispered. "None?"

"None." He confirmed. "We piled the carcasses and burned them." He pointed to some smoke in a distance.

"Dead?" Glimi asked in disbelievement.

He nodded. "I am sorry."

Legolas rested a hand on Glimi. Aeldra did not know it was to give support to Glimi or to support himself.

The rider whistled. "Hasufel, Arod!"

Two horse came forward. The rider patted them. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters. Farewell."

He put his helmet back on and mounted his horse. "Look for your friends, but do not trust hope. It has forsaken these lands."

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><p><strong>Sorry to interrupt you, but did you notice Eomer's sword was sliding out of his sheath in the movie? If you didn't notice, go to the movie and pause it! It happens the moment he said <strong>_**look for your friends.**_** Man, it is super funny!**

**Please continue.**

* * *

><p>"We ride north!" the rider called out to the others.<p>

"It was the first time my eyes caught at such a beautiful face. It was even more surprising to find the master of the face carrying weapons." He smiled at Aeldra and rode forward.

Aeldra flushed. "What is your name, rider?"

He turned back to her. "Eomer is my name. Farewell."

The cavalry rode after him, parting around the four of them. Soon, only the four and the two horses were left behind.

"Come on, let us go swiftly." Aragorn leapt up to Arod's back while Legolas climbed up on Hasufel.

Aeldra and Glimi looked at each other.

"Why didn't he give us one more horse?" Aeldra muttered and glanced at the mounted man and elf. Considering she was nearer to Legolas, she walked towards him. But when her eyes caught the beautiful shade of silvery blue of his eyes and the shining golden hair, she blushed and quickly climbed up behind Aragorn, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Once they set off, Aragorn whispered in her ear. "Why don't you ride with him?"

She flushed.

After a few minutes of riding, the horrible smell of flesh being burnt was smelt. Very soon, they arrived at the burning corpses.

"No." she covered her mouth with a hand when she saw all the corpses laying on the ground. "Merry, Pippin, no."

They hurried to the pile and Glimi fumbled through it to find the belt of theirs.

"_Hiro hyn hidhab wanath_."(may they find peace in death) Legolas whispered.

Aragorn looked calm at first. Then he kicked out at a helmet hard and yelled out in grief. He sank to his knees and put his face in his hands. Aeldra knelt down beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. She stared at the ground as grief hit her like waves.

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><p><strong>Sorry for interrupting you again. I really find myself annoying.<strong>

**When Aragorn yelled in grief, do you know that he actually broke his toe while kicking the helmet? He didn't stop the movie although being hurt and actually yelled in pain. Peter Jackson found the yell perfect and admired Aragorn a lots for not cutting the movie. Crazy Viggo Mortensen!**

* * *

><p>"We fail them." Glimi whispered.<p>

Then something caught Aeldra's attention.

"Aragorn… if I am right, a hobbit lay here." She touched the ground.

Aragorn touched the ground beside her. "You are correct. And the other lay here."

"They crawled… their hands were bound." He studied the ground. Aeldra silently praised him how well he could read tracks to discover details like bonds.

"Their bonds were cut!" he exclaimed and held out a rope on the ground.

"They ran over here… and were followed." He was running now.

"The tracks lead away from the battle!" he stopped when he found Aeldra already waiting for him at the front. She stared at the forest with blank eyes. "Into Fangorn Forest."

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><p><strong>End of ch 10.<strong>

**Haha sorry for interrupting you twice. Holiday's about to end and I will have to face the hell again. Dreadful school. T.T**

**Love you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch11! Gandalf dumped Death and ran away back!**

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><p>Ch11<p>

"What madness drove them in there?" Glimi gasped.

"Panic." Aeldra answered grimly and stepped into the forest.

The air was damp and very closed inside. She choked slightly at the smell.

"We would leave as soon as possible." Aragron also gagged a little and bent down to look for the hobbits' tracks.

Glimi strode to a plant and tasted some liquid on a leaf. "Orc blood." He spat it out.

"These are strange tracks." Aragorn studied the ground. Aeldra peered and decided to give up to look for their tracks. Aragorn was always the one who was more experienced and better in this job.

"The air is so close here." Glimi complained.

"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory… and anger."

Bass voices were heard from the trees. Glimi instinctively raised his axe.

"The trees are speaking to each other!" Legolas exclaimed.

"Glimi." Aeldra nudged him with her elbow. "Lower your axe."

He lowered it immediately. "Oh."

"They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it; waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." Glimi mused.

Suddenly Legolas hurried up beside Aragorn. "Aragorn,_ nad no ennas!"(_something is out there!)

"_Man cenich?"( _What do you see?) Aeldra automatically switched to the Elvish tone, forgetting about the poor Glimi completely. She concentrated on the wind, the woods, the smell nearby. Soon enough, she could sense something very powerful… a presence that was even stronger than any wizard she encountered before.

Legolas's eyes darted to his right. "The White Wizard approachs."

Aragorn nodded, his face black. "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us." He said softly. "We must be quick."

The four of them turned around at the same time and attack. They were all blinded by a brilliant white light. All they could see was the outline of a figure. Legolas shot an arrow, Glimi threw his axe and Aeldra threw her throwing dagger but were deflected back. Aeldra managed to catch her dagger back but it turned hot in her grasp and she was forced to drop it. She noticed that same thing happened to Aragorn's sword.

A voice spoke from the ball of white light. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits."

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

"Who are you?" Aeldra yelled and drew out another knife, which turned hot again and she was forced to drop it again. "show yourself!"

The light slowly dimmed. Aeldra's hand had crept to her third knife.

When the light dimmed completely to showed the person, her jaw dropped.

"Gandalf." She whispered.

"It cannot be." Aragorn stared.

"Forgive me." Legolas knelt down. Aeldra and Glimi followed his lead, although Glimi simply bowed. "I mistook you for Saruman."

"I am Saruman." Gandalf said. "Or rather Saruman as he should have been."

"You fell!" Aragorn spoke with amazement.

"Through fire. And water." He explained. " From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and everyday was as long as the life age of the earth. But ut was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

"Gandalf." Aragorn spoke his name, as if he would fade and disappeared from them again.

"Gandalf? Oh yes. That is what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey." A smirk danced on his face. "I am Gandalf the White now."

He smiled at Aeldra. "And there is no need to weep for me, dear Aeldra."

She didn't realize she was crying until Gandalf told her. She wiped her eyes and smiled. "these are good tears."

Legolas smiled and draped an arm on her shoulders. She sobbed and leaned into him.

"And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide."

Gandalf then stepped down from the rock that he was standing on and wrapped a grey cloak around himself. "One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed."

"Edoras?" Glimi grunt. "That is no short distance!"

"We hear of trouble in Rohan. it goes ill with the king." Aragorn spoke.

"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf agreed.

"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits in this horrid, dark, dank tree-invested…"

The trees rumbled.

"I mean charming, quite charming forest."

Aeldra laughed. This dwarf did amuse her a lots.

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountain."

"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn smiled.

"Hmm?" the wizard leaned towards the man, who whispered in his ear. Then they both laughed.

"You still speak in riddles." Legolas told Aeldra softly, whose ears were much keener than hers.

"A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."

"Strong?" Glimi groaned again. "Oh, that's good."

"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be." Gandalf replied.

"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Glimi complained after Gandalf walked out of earshot.

Aeldra smiled and followed others out of the forest.

Gandalf let out a long piercing whistle once he stepped outside. Soon, a neigh was replied to him. Then a beautiful horse with pure white mane appeared far far away. Hasufel and Arod whined and stepped backward.

"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas raised his eyes at the horse.

The horse arrived beside them in a split of second. Gandalf smiled. "Shadowfax. He is the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers."

Gandalf stroke its mane and mounted it without using a saddle.

Aeldra turned to Aragorn, but Gandalf spoke. "No. Arod is weak. Aeldra, you shall ride with Legolas. Glimi should ride with me."

Aeldra glanced at Legolas, who smiled and offered her a hand. She accepted it and he pulled her behind him.

She had no choice but to wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I find the dwarf very funny." Legolas told her when Hasufel started to gallop forward.

"Glimi?" she glanced at the dwarf. He looked really grumpy behind Gandalf. He shot the two elves a death glare when he found them smirking at him.

For hours they rode. Legolas talked softly with Aeldra and she soon found the whole _hugging-elf-prince_ thing less awkward. She had leaned into his back and listened to him talking fondly about his home, Mirkwood. She replied him with her story in Rivendell after he found her dying fourteen years ago. But she never spoke a word about what happened before he found her or why she would leave Rivendell with Aragron.

Late at the night, Gandalf finally allowed them to rest. They built a fire and Aeldra curled up beside where Aragorn was leaning against a trunk.

Then Legolas lay down beside her. She tensed when she felt his arm brushing hers. She swallowed drew away slowly from him.

After some time, she felt Aragorn shuffling up beside her. She opened her eyes and saw him walking towards Gandalf, who was standing and gazing out at the sky.

She got up and walked up next to them.

"…. Rival. From the summit of Barad-Dur his Eye watches ceaselessly." Gandalf was saying to Aragorn. He smiled at Aeldra as she approached. " But he is not so mighty that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him: the heir of Numenor still lives. Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become. And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of men. He would use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming. Rohan must defend itself and therein lies our first challenge, for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The King's mind is enslaved. It's an old device of Saruman's. His hold over King Theoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning, we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden, and that we should seek to destroy it has not yet enter their darkest dreams. And so the weapon of the Enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fire of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of this quest."

Finally he stopped to take a breath. When he saw the weary faces of Aragorn and Aeldra, he said. "Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone."

"He is not alone." Aragorn said. "Sam went with him."

"Did he? Did he indeed?" Gandalf's face was unreadable. "Good. Yes, very good."

"Now, both of you, go to rest, for we all have a long day ahead of us." He chided them with no anger. They nodded and went back to where they were previously resting.

After one more day and one more night, they arrived at Edoras early in the morning.

"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Theoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Theoden is now very strong. Be careful of what you say. Do not look for welcome here."

They continued to ride forward until they arrived at the gate. As the approached the hall, the villagers gave them strange looks.

"You will find more cheer in a graveyard." Glimi muttered.

They leapt off the horses as they arrived below the hall. After they climbed up the stairs, guards approached them.

"Ah." The reply of Gandalf surprised her. He must be really up to something.

The leading guard spoke. "I cannot allow you before the king so armed, Gandalf Grayhame. By order of…" he swallowed as if the words he was going to say would be unpleasant. "Grima Wormtongue."

Gandalf nodded at them and the three started to unarm themselves. She lost count of daggers that she gave to them. When she gestured that she was unarmed, Aragorn coughed. She sighed and flashed out the tiny dagger hidden under her blouse.

A guard gave her a suspicious look, which she returned an innocent one.

"Your staff." The leading guard said.

"Eh? Oh. No. You would not part an old man with his walking stick?"

The guard thought for a moment and nodded. Then he allowed them to pass.

Gandalf winked at them and took Aeldra's arm. She raised an eyebrow at him as he hid his staff behind him and leaned against Aeldra like an old man. She smiled and walked forward with others.

The door slammed shut behind them. She glanced up and put on her most innocent face, which she had learned in these days ever since she took off her mask.

A man with skin that was so pale that it seemed he had never seen the sun ever since he was borned. Beside him was the King but the king looked as if a ghost, with a face that reminded Aeldra of her mask.

The pale man whispered something at the king's ear.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theoden King." Gandalf called out and received no reply.

The pale man spoke to the king again. Then Theoden spoke in a low voice. "Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?"

"A just question, my liege." The man stood up and walked towards them. Aeldra guessed that he was Grima Wormtongue. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him. Ill news is in ill guest."

This _Wormtongue_ had a _sharp tongue_ actually.

"Be silent!" Gandalf snapped. "Put your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witness worm."

He raised his staff and Grima cringed back. "His staff. I told you to take the wizard's staff!"

Five guards appeared from nowhere and ran straight for Gandalf. Aragorn,Legolas and Glimi stopped three and the remaining two went to the old man and the girl, sensing no threat.

Aeldra smiled. A cold smile that would freeze the sea to ice.

Too late had the two guards found the danger hidden beneath the innocent, young, angelic face. She let go of Gandalf and lashed out an arm at the first guard's neck, who dropped onto the ground without making a noise. The other leapt back away from her, but she had already slammed her elbow on his side and he fell down groaning in pain. She wondered how many ribs that she had broke.

Aragorn caught her hand before she sent one final blow at him. He stared at her in horror, not believing that she had killed a man without even blinking.

"Theoden, son of Thengel. Too long have you sat in the shadows."

Legolas slammed his hand at the face of a guard without even looking back. She would love to learn this trick.

"Harken to me!" Gandalf walked up in front of Theoden and raised a hand. "I release you from the spell."

He closed his eyes in concentration, but Theoden made some strange noise. It took Aeldra a few seconds to realize that he was laughing.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey." He jeered.

Gandalf threw down his grey cloak and revealed himself in his blinding white robes. Theoden leaned back against his throne as if something invisible slammed him back.

"I would draw you out, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." Gandalf snarled and aimed his staff at Theoden, who squirmed but made no effort to escpae.

A woman suddenly rushed in and saw what was happening. She ran towards Theoden but Aragorn released Aeldra and turned to caught her. "Wait."

The woman glanced at Aragorn and her concerned gaze went back to Theoden.

Saruman's voice spoke from the lips of Theoden."If I go, Theoden dies."

"You did not kill me. You will not kill him."

Theode's head lolled for a moment. Then Saruman spoke again. "Rohan is mine!"

"Be gone!" Gandalf replied.

Suddenly Theoden threw himself at Gandalf, trying to break his concentration. Gandalf yelled and thrust his staff forward. Theoden fell back on his throne.

The woman pushed Aragorn away and caught Theoden. He looked at her, his face slowly changing until it was a normal middle aged man's face.

"I know your face." He blinked. "Eowyn."

The woman, Eowyn smiled. Theoden looked up and was surprised to find four people standing in front of him. "Gandalf?"

"Breathe the free air again, my friend." Gandalf smiled at the king."

"Dark have my dreams of late." The king said.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword."

The guard that they saw at first stepped forward and brought out a sheathed sword. Theoden wrapped his fingers around the hilt and drew it out. He examined it for a while before his eyes flicked towards Wormtongue, who was cowering on the ground.

"Uh-oh." Aeldra smiled at him.

* * *

><p><strong>Longest chap! Break the record again!<strong>

**Aelds had killed a man. Coldy bloody girly.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

Ch12

When Aeldra followed the others out of the hall, Legolas suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Aeldra, why did you kill him? You can simply knock him out." he gestured at the dead man whom she had killed with one blow. "They are just men under the commands of Wormtongue. You would have killed two if Aragorn didn't stop you."

Aeldra glanced towards the dead guard and guilt crushed her. "Oh my gods. What have I done?"

"It is not you. You are not yourself. I could see your face when the two guards approached you. Your face changed. I could see pure evilness in your eyes."

She shivered. "Pure evilness? But I am not evil! How…"

Suddenly realization hit her. "Oh, lord. That is not good."

"What is not good? Do you understand what is wrong?"

"I need to speak with Aragorn. I…"

"Aeldra!" he hurried after her when she rushed out of the hall.

When they stepped out, they were surprised to find everyone kneeling before the King. Even Aragorn had knelt down. A slight pang of anger hit her when she remembered Aragorn would soon be the King of Gondor. Why did he need to kneel? He should…

She shook her head. Something was definitely wrong with her. She wouldn't get so frustrated usually. And she had never killed a man before in her life, even they were great threats to her.

Aragorn caught her scared face and hurried to her. "What is wrong?"

She grabbed his hand and dragged him to a corner. Then she told him about her worries quickly in a low voice.

He didn't reply immediately when he learned what had happened. Then he turned to her, his face stern.

"Aeldra. There is nothing we can do about _it. _You have to be strong and stand against _it_. You must not let _it_ rule over you."

She nodded and felt tears welling in her eyes. "I am scared."

He took her shoulders with tenderness that he seldom shown. "I am here with you, Aeldra."

They just stood there for hours, his hands on her shoulders and her head leaning against his chest.

0oo0

After the funeral, Aeldra sat under a tree outside the gate on her own. Her fingers again twirled idly at the necklace that Galadriel gave her. She still had no idea what help this little thing could give, but she knew she couldn't underestimate the magic of Lorien. The words of the prophecy was read again and again in her mind.

She bit her lips as she forced away the words that had haunted her for years. She still remembered the day when she learned of the prophecy. First confusion, the shock, then agony. The pain was slowly eating her from inside, and fighting to live was the only way to distract her. She counted the days she had left. Not long at all.

She raised her head to a hill far away just to see a person on a horse.

She squinted her eyes and saw it was two children instead of one. It was a boy at the back, holding a younger girl in front of him. She watched him suddenly fell from the horse, leaving the girl in panic.

She sprang up and ran towards them. It was lucky that she was very close to them already, or they would be leave here in the wild until the night.

When she arrived beside them, she heard the girl crying. She had no control over the horse until Aeldra caught the rein in her hands and forced the horse to a stop.

"Come on, little girl, get down." She held out her arms and let the girl slid into her arms. She was only about six or seven. "What is your name?"

"Freda!" she squeaked with a high voice. "Eothain I asleep!"

Aeldra hurried to the boy and took his pulse. A single touch told her that he was fine, only exhausted and hungry.

"Here. Let us get Eothain on the horse, shall we?" she smiled at the girl and pushed the boy back on the horse, making sure he wouldn't fall again. She took the reins in one hand and held Freda's hand in another. "Is he your brother?"

"Yes! He is Eothain and I am Freda!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. How old are you?"

Freda let go of Aeldra's hand and raised up seven fingers. "I am seven!"

"And Eothain?"

"He is eleven!"

"Where are your parents?"

"I have never seen Papa for a long time. He is tall and kind and…"

Aeldra wasn't a patient and didn't love children like others women did. "And your mother?"

"She said she will meet us in here! Where is Mama?"

"Uh…"

"Mother said she would meet us in Edoras." Suddenly a third voice rang. Aeldra looked up at the pale face of Eothain.

"Hello, Eothain." She nodded at him. She decided to give up talking to Freda and turned towards the older sibling. "Why aren't you with your parents? Where do you come from?"

"We came from a village quite far away. Papa was a soldier and Mama called us to raise the alarm. It is attacked in a sudden and nearly all people in the village are slaughtered. We only manage to escape because we have a horse. Mama…" his voice broke.

"Hey." She reached out and took his hand. He felt a warm current flowing from her hand to his and to his body. Immediately, strength returned to him and he could also feel calmness coming to him at the same time.

He jerked his hand back. "What kind of sorcery is that? Let go of my sister!"

"Sorcery?" she choked back a laugh. "If I am a sorceress, I would have eaten your flesh and drank your blood already. I am giving you strength, and you call this sorcery?"

He seemed a little bit relax but still asked. "How did you manage that?"

She winked at him and led them into the gate. Eowyn and Gandalf hurried to them.

"What happens to them?" Eowyn helped Eothain down and held him in her arms.

Aeldra thrust Freda to Gandalf. "Give them some food. Eothain will explain later."

0oo0

"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wildermen are moving through westfold, burning as they go, every rick, cot and tree." Eowyn said as she watched the children gulped their food down hungrily.

"Where's Mama?" Freda asked and Eowyn waved her question away with a _"hush." _

"This is about a taste of terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron." Gandalf explained to Theoden, who had a hand supporting his head.

"Ride out to meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight." Gandalf continued.

Aeldra thought of Eomer's angry face. "You have two thousands good men riding north as we speak, my lord. Eomer is loyal to you. His men must certainly return and fight for their king."

"They will be three hundreds leagues from here by now! Eomer cannot help us."

Gandalf opened his mouth to speak again, but Theoden spoke first. "I know what you want of me. But I _will_ not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you." Aragorn said grimly. "Whether would risk it or not."

The king left his throne and walked up to Aragorn. "When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."

"You…" Aeldra shot to her feet, but Legolas pushed her down by the shoulder. When she realized that the temper did not come from her, he glanced at Aragorn, who frowned.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked.

0oo0

Aeldra, Legolas and Glimi followed Aragorn and Gandalf into the stables.

"Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?" Glimi protested angrily.

"He is only doing what he thinks is the best for his people." Surprisingly, Aragorn defended him. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."  
>"There is no way out than of ravine. Theoden is walking to a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety, but what he'll get is massacre." Gandalf agreed with Glimi. "Theoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan."<p>

"They will hold." Aragorn spoke firmly.

Gandalf turned to Shadowfax. "They Grey Pilgrim. They is what they used to call me. Three hundreds lives of meni've walked this earth by now, I have no time."

He mounted Shadowfax and turned back to them. "Good luck. My search will not be in vain. Look to my coming, at first light, on the fifth day. At dawn, looked to the east."

"Go." Aragorn nodded.

Before Shadowfax moved, Gandalf spoke to Aeldra in a voice soft enough so only she could hear it.

"Do not let the Dark Lord ruled over your spirit and body, Hunter." He said before adding one more sentence.

"_Or I will have to kill you."_

0oo0

Aeldra soon learned the news they would leave in the afternoon in the next day. She slumped down to a chair and closed her eyes in exhaustion.

"You now look as tired as that Eothain and Freda, lassie." Glimi raised an eyebrow at her. "You didn't get tired so easily before. What is the matter?"

"I think." Aragorn spoke and drew Aeldra to her feet. "Our beautiful lady is tired and is need to sleep as a log. Lady Eowyn, would you take our lady to a room for rest?"

Eowyn nodded as Aeldra glared back at her friend. "Seriously? Our lady?"

"Nah, I am just trying to lighten the mood."

"I don't feel lighten." She snapped.

Aragorn sighed and pressed a kiss to her cheek before let a confused Eowyn took Aeldra away.

The two walked in awkward silence until Eowyn finally break the ice. "how long have you traveled here, my lady?"

"Three months." She replied.

Eowyn nodded. She glanced at Aeldra but when their eyes met, she turned away immediately.

"Just ask me what you want to ask me." She sighed and put her hands in her cloak pockets.

Eowyn blushed. "Uh… well, I do not want to ask you so soon, as we have just met each other."

Aeldra couldn't help a laugh. "Shy little girl, isn't it?"

Eowyn blushed again.

Eowyn took Aeldra to a room and prepared a bath for her. Aeldra refused her help and insisted a quick shower was enough. She had no intention to take a nice, long bath. Eowyn nodded and left her room hastily.

Aeldra only brushed away the blood and dirt on her body and immediately crawled into bed to sleep. She slid under the warm covers which she hadn't sleep in for two months since Lorien and fell asleep instantly.

She felt that she had only slept for a second when Eowyn gently rocked her to wake her up in the morning. She nodded and left the comfortable bed sadly.

When she arrived in the hall, she saw Legolas and Glimi eating together. She sat down beside Legolas. "Good morning."

"Guc muulun." Glimi greeted with his mouth full of meat.

"Hello, Aeldra. Do you feel much better now?"

"Yes. I think I am too exhausted yesterday." She answered and grabbed for a bread.

"So Aeldra, I desire you to answer me one question." He said firmly suddenly.

Her body tensed immediately and glared at him. The last time he desired her to answer a question was back in Moria when he asked if she was a Hunter.

"What changed your nature yesterday? You are heartless and was quite quick-tempered."

"Exhaustion?"

"There were evilness in your eyes, Aeldra."

"I refuse to answer your question."

"Do you not believe in me?"

"I believe you, Legolas, I do trust you. It is just…"

"I heard you talking to Aragorn yesterday. I didn't eavesdrop you two, but I heard him saying _' you must not let it rule over you_.' "

"How dare you to listen to us!"

"I didn't. I left as soon as…"

She threw her unfinished bread at his face.

He cried out in surprise and staggered back. Aeldra ignored the gazes of of others and left the hall swiftly. She found Aragorn leaving the stables.

When he saw her approaching, he gestured her to follow him. They walked under a tree and sat down together.

Aragron sighed and took her hands in his. "Aeldra… do you know how strange you have been behaving?"

She scowled and prepared for a bitter reply, but she held herself back and nodded.

Aragorn leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. "Aeldra. Nobody but you and I in here know that part of Sauron's spirit linger inside your body. I know his spirit would change you day by day as he grows stronger day by day. But you can fight it, Aeldra. Refuse to let him take you over. You have to fight it."

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><p><strong>Try not to kill me for ending this ch in this way.<strong>

**Actually I don't have much to say in this ch. So, reviews, favourite, follow! i will try to update once in 4 to 5 days.**


	13. Chapter 13

Ch13

A few hours later, they left Rohan. Aeldra kept close to Aragorn, who was riding a horse called Brego. In front of them, Glimi was chatting happily with Eowyn about the matter of female dwarves.

"Aeldra?"

She didn't turn to the voice. "Yes, Legolas?"

"Aeldra… I apologize for what I said in this morning."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"It was your privacy and I shall not invade it. Please forgive me for what I said."

She smiled sweetly at him. "Well, I guess I threw the bread a little too hard and knocked you to certain madness."

He smiled and took her hand. Her heart pounded when he brought it to his lips and pressed a quick kiss on her fingers. His lips were warm and yet it sent shivers down her spine.

She forced a smile when he released her hand and they continued forward, his arm around her shoulders. She was really tense under his arm when she didn't even know why. She just told herself she wasn't use to touch anyone except Aragorn.

Soon, the refugees of Rohan started to complain of exhaustion. The king had no choice but to order people to stop and rest until the morning.

"Is a few hours walk really that tiring?" she asked a panting woman next to her, who blushed and hurried away.

"Now, now, little Hunter, you are the one who always ran around for days while they were eating and sleeping like that thing over here."

He gestured at a pig that was being dragged by a man.

"Well… nice metaphor."

Legolas smiled and yank out a folded tent from his bag.

"Aw, I forget completely to bring a tent." she smacked her forehead.

"There is no need to ruin your perfectly good head for forgetting bringing a tent." he laughed as the tent sprang into place in front of him as his hands flew."come on in."

She grinned and ducked inside."how about Glimi?"

"He would come in as he wish." he spreaded out his bedroll and she pulled out hers also. She sneaked inside hers and sighed.

"I thought you weren't tired." He noted.

Aeldra nodded."i was not tired, but i am... weary in heart."

"Weary in heart? What is the matter?"

"Nothing that should concern you." She replied but climbed out of her bedroll and out of the tent.

Legolas opened his mouth to ask,but he remembered how she freaked out in Edoras when he asked of her problem. He started getting more and more curious of her life and determined to learn what happened.

Aeldra walked out and saw Aragorn sitting beside Eowyn and eating a bowl of stew under her gaze. He caught her eyes and she could see the screaming for help inside. She giggled and walked to them.

When she arrived, she could see the affection in her eyes once more. She spoke to her. "Lady Eowyn, would you mind coming with me?"

Eowyn raised an eyebrow at her and nodded. Aeldra led her away from Aragorn and caught him pouring all the content in his bowl on the ground immediately.

She smiled softly to herself and faced the princess, who was gazing at her curiously.

"Eowyn, I think I must tell you that another had taken Aragorn's heart already. Please do not give yourself hope when there is none."

"Oh." She flushed. "I am sorry. I..."

"Do not say sorry to me." She raised her hands. "I am only doing the duty as his friend."

"Friend?" She scowled. "I... Is him in love with you?"

"What?" She nearly screamed. "By the Valor, NO! I am just a friend and daughter for him."

"Uh?" Eowyn blushed fiercely. "I... I saw how close you two are and... um, you..."

"Is it your first time to learn love?" She laughed. "His heart was claimed by an elf in Rivendell."

"Such a lucky elleth." Eowyn muttered.

"There is also a lucky man out there for you, Eowyn." She patted the princess's shoulder and was surprised to find how tense it was.

Eowyn nodded. "I...I would try. Leaving him alone, I mean. I would."

Aeldra smiled and prepared to leave, but Eowyn caught her arm. "Aeldra, how did the elleth met Aragorn?"

She almost laughed when she saw the expression on Eowyn's face. "That was many years ago when I was not yet borned. I recalled him saying he was walking in a garden and caught eyes with a beautiful elf maiden who was also walking on her own. They talked briefly before she left. He was in love with her at that instant. Now, Eowyn, we should stop invading his love life."

"Of course we will." She laughed, throwing her golden curls over her shoulder. "Then tell me how did you meet him."

"I was six at that time. I was playing with a sword and accidentally threw it away, nearly impaling a man. He blocked it and taught me what I did wrong..."

Soon, the two women found themselves talking about themselves, though Aeldra carefully avoided some certain matters.

"Ah, you are here."

Aeldra saw Eowyn flinching in surprise and she sighed. " Legolas Thranduilion Greenleaf. Did anyone tell you sneaking up on others was bad?"

He laughed. " pardon me then, my ladies. I am here to see if Lady Aeldra has died from talking. It is now already midnight, and I suspect the women are still gossiping."

She laughed and smacked his arm. "You can just tell me to leave, you insufferable elf. Eowyn, we can talk later. Goodnight."

The princess returned a goodnight and Aeldra followed Legolas back to their tent. Legolas lay down in his bedroll and Aeldra climbed in also. "Legolas, where is Glimi?"

"Who knows where that dwarf is?"

Suddenly she was aware that there was only two of them in the tent. Only the two of them. No one else.

She ducked inside the bedroll when she felt herself flushing. She closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. She knew nightmares would come to her the moment she fell asleep. It had been happening for days.

Falling asleep wasn't easy, but finally sleep came to her.

This time, she was standing in the darkness again. She glanced around, tensed.

"_Dear little Hunter. Why don't you come?" _the voice chided._ "Your beloved shall be spared if you come. They shall all be slaughtered if you stay with them. There will be chances, Aeldra. Come quickly."_

"GO TO HELL, YOU SLUCK!" she screamed.

The voice laughed. _"I am growing stronger day by day and you grow weaker day by day. I can control your emotion now, girl. It is simply a matter of time before I take full control of your body and kill your friends with your hands. They will gaze at you, wondering why do you betray them before they fall dead on the ground."_

She woke up, gasping.

"Aeldra?" she heard Legolas's voice. "What is wrong?"

She shook her head.

"You are crying." He sat up and touched her face. "What is the matter? "

"I… hold me." She whispered.

Legolas lay down beside her obediently and wrapped her strong arms around her. She buried her face against his chest and closed her eyes.

For the first time in many days, she didn't dream. She slept peacefully in the circle of his arms until dawn.

When she woke, he was awake already. She wasn't please to find him playing with her hair in boredom.

"Legolas Thranduilian." She warned. He laughed and let her go.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, slightly embarrassed by the fact that her hair was a tangle mess. She couldn't keep wondering why could he keep his hair such neatly even in sleep. She could see Glimi snoring a few feet from her, his mouth wide open.

"You should support me when I told him he drooled in his sleep." He whispered in her ear with such a soft voice that she shivered a little.

She smiled and stepped out of the tent. She gazed at the beautiful red sun rising from behind a mountain far far away and the outlines of the clouds around turning amazing purple strokes.

"Isn't the dawn beautiful, Aeldra the Hunter?" he asked her and stood beside her.

"A red sun rises. Is some kind of blood spilled again?"

"Not this type. That kind of red sun… do you really want to learn?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

Suddenly she realized how close he was to her. Their faces were only inches apart and she could see every details of his face. The dark pupils, the silvery blue irises and long eyelashes. The beautifully arched eyebrow and the tiny little birthmark beside his left eye that she had never noticed. The perfect jawline and the soft lips. She wanted to touch it so much and to press her own lips….

She forced her thoughts to a stop. No, she couldn't get herself tangled up in drama, especially when they were approaching a war and she was going to die very soon. She wanted to pull away, but when she found his arm wrapping around her waist, she could do nothing but leaned against him and watched the sun went up and the sky turned blue.

0oo0

"Did you really pour some water at Lord Elrond's seat when you were thirteen?" Eowyn gasped. "Tell me you didn't."  
>"Actually, I did." Aeldra giggled. "Elladan's and Elrohir's plans, actually. You cannot believe how mischievous those two elves are until you see them" she shook her head.<p>

"Did Elrond really sat on it?"

"Sadly, yes. He sensed something wrong immediately and stood up but his hip was all wet already. I burst out laughing and I got into quite a lot of trouble."

"What about Elladan and Elrohir?"

"Of course I pointed them out and of course Lord Elrond believed me and of course they got in more trouble and of course they had gotten use to it."

Eowyn laughed.

Suddenly there were yells in front. Aeldra glanced up and saw Aragorn running back. "Wargs! We are under attack!"

Panic spreaded out like fire. Aeldra found a horse and leapt on it without thinking. It took her a few moments before realizing it was Arod.

"Let me come with you!" Eowyn said. Aeldra scowled. "But…"

"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep and make haste." Theoden told his niece.

"I can fight!" Eowyn protested.

"No!" he said harshly but caught himself. "You must do this – for me."

Aeldra didn't wait to see the pain on her friend's eyes. She rode forward and helped Glimi on a horse.

Aeldra followed the others to the column with both of her knives drawn. When the wargs were about to hit her and Arod, she nudged Arod with her foot and the horse slid into the space between two wargs and she successfully cut off two heads.

Once the fight started, she again kept her mind blank and slashed all around her and the horse, also keep moving as it was the safest to do in battle. Arod wasn't a strong horse, but clearly it had seen battles before. It knew exactly where to go and how to dodge blows.

"_Nice work, Arod. Keep going! Let us kill more monsters!"_ she yelled in elvish at the horse and continued to fight like madness. She didn't know how long she had fought until it seemed that all wargs and their riders were either dead or gone.

She saw Legolas and Glimi together. Good that they were safe. But…where is Aragorn?

She looked around and her eyes stopped at a laughing orc on the gound. Glimi pointed his axe at it. "Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing."

The orc coughed. "He's…dead. He took a little tumble off the cliff."

She immediately scrambled to the cliff. The fast current of the water told her what had happened to her closest friend.

She saw Legolas approached her. "Tell me it was lying."

The elf bit his lip and showed her the Evenstar in his hand. "The orc was holding it."

Aeldra could feel the entire world swirling. She sank to her feet as she thought of the grim gray eyes and shaggy dark hair. The way he pulled her away from arrows and spears. The way he smiled occasionally at her and embraced her tightly when the survived a battle.

She thought of Arwen. The pain that would tear her heart.

"Aragorn." She whispered. "Son of Arathorn. Heir of Esildur."

Legolas patted her shoulder. "Aeldra,we should go back with Theoden."

"And left him?" her own three words were like three knives, plunging into her chest one by one.

He gently pulled her to her feet with an arm around her waist. "Come on, Aeldra. Let us go to Helm's Deep. We need to save Rohan. Aragorn would want us to do this."

"Do not speak for Aragorn! You didn't know him well at all!" she snapped and suddenly tears welled out of her eyes at once and flowed freely down her pale face. "Oh my gods. He is dead. He is dead. My father is dead. My mother is dead. My brother is dead. Aragorn is dead. On lord, my family are all dead."

It was the first time when Legolas heard that Aeldra actually had a brother. He silently helped her on her horse and rode with others riders to Helm's Deep.

"There is no way the lassie's going to fight without dying in Helm's Deep." Glimi spoke behind him.

"No." he agreed. "She isn't."

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><p><strong>Romance parts starting to come!<strong>

**Thank you for all the reviews and followers, favourites. I seriously love you all. Updating as fast as I can already. Support me from wherever you are!:)**


	14. Chapter 14

Ch14

"Make way for the king! Make way for Theoden. Make way for the king!"

Eowyn raised her head from her work and quickly hurried to them.

She stopped beside her uncle. "So few. So few of you have returned."

There was something in his eyes that she could not understand. "Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives."  
>She saw Glimi approaching her. He spoke softly. "My lady…"<p>

Her eyes caught a young blackhead female figure walking with Legolas, her shoulders hunched. "Lord Aragorn… where is he?" she asked carefully.

"He fell." He answered sadly.

She froze. Her eyes went to Theoden, who looked away from her.

"Dead?" she whispered.

Glimi nodded. "You should go talk to Aeldra. She was quite… in a trance, you may say."

Eowyn nodded slightly, still refusing to believe that he was dead. Aragorn. No way. He… he…

She found herself standing in front of Aeldra, who was sitting on the stairs with her legs drawn up against her chest. She had her hood up her head and shielded her face from Eowyn's eyes.

Legolas was kneeling next to her, holding her shoulders tightly.

Eowyn sat down beside Aeldra. "I am sorry for his…"  
>"There is nothing to be sorry of." Her voice was hallow. "Not your fault, anyway."<p>

Eowyn hesitantly reached out and took Aeldra's hand. It was cold in her hand. she saw Aeldra flinched at the touch.

They didn't say anything, only leaning against each other, sharing each other's pain.

Suddenly Aeldra shot to her feet. "I can't do this. Thinking of him dead with his corpse flowing in the water… NO. I cannot. I have to go find him. I have to."

Legolas stood up immediately. "If you are going, I am going too."

"There is no need. We must spare all men we have." Her voice was less hallow now that she had something to do. "You will stay."  
>"It is too dangerous to be out in there alone, Aeldra." He protested.<p>

"I know how to protect myself, Legolas. Do you trust me less than Freda and… uh, um…"

"Eothain." Eoywn said softly.

"Yes. Eothain." She nodded. "Freda and Eothain. They made to Edoras alive. I can also stay alive."

Legolas scowled and Eowyn reminded him. "She is Blaze the Ranger."

He reluctantly nodded. "Promise me, you would return tomorrow's sunset."

She nodded a little bit too quickly and threw her pack on. She leapt onto Arod in a swift motion and they were out of sight in a flash.

After Aeldra left Helm's Deep, she arrived at the lower course of the river where Aragorn fell into. She glanced around to look for his body. When she saw none, she started to go upstream.

After a few hours, she rested on a tree and leaned back on a branch.

Aragorn is tough. She reminded herself. He could make it.

She only took a few hours of sleep before going again. She knew better not to light a torch because it would be just like waving a _I-am-here_ sign to the enemies, just like the hobbits did in Weathertop.

The thought of the hobbits reminded her of Frodo and Sam. She wondered where they were now. Two little hobbits, inching slowly towards Mordor step by step.

Dawn broke over her head. As she walked, she noticed something.

She ran into the water and stopped. There was a dead warg floating on the water, stopped by a rock. Her heart contracted. She wondered if Aragorn had floated passed her when she was resting, but she waved the idea away as she knew that she would notice him with her elvish senses.

Which mean he was very near.

But where?

She heard of a horse neighing that didn't belong to Arod.

She drew one knife and walked towards the sound. She pushed away the brushes that stood in her way and when she saw them, she screamed.

"Aragorn!"

He was laying on the ground, apparently being washed up the shore by the water. His eyes were closed and there was a large wound on his right arm. Brego was nudging Aragorn, trying to wake him up.

"Oh gods, Aragorn." She threw herself beside him and hugged him tightly, not even checking if he was alive or not.

"Aeldra?" he mumbled.

"You are alive! Aragron, you are alive!" she laughed with tears shimmering in her eyes.

He struggled to a sitting position and stared at her. "Aeld? Where am I ?"

"You fell off the cliff, remember? You were washed over here. Thanks the Valor that I found you, Aragron." She embraced him again.

He patted her back and pulled away. "How far away are we from Helm's Deep?"

"Only a few hours. Let us go back as soon as possible. How is your arm wound?"

He stared at it as if he just noticed. "Oh, it was a wide but shallow one. Aeldra, do you have some water?"

"Of course yes." She fished out the water and food in her pack and cleaned his wound while he ate. Half an hour later, she helped him on Brego and they galloped quickly back to Helm's Deep with full speed.

After about an hour of riding, her eyes caught at something black far away. Aragron followed her gaze. "A land with black soil?"

"No." her voice quivered. "An army."

Aragorn stared. "That was at least ten thousands of them!"

"They are Uruck and were heading the same way with us." She noted. "And the came from… oh no…"

"Isengard." He confirmed. "We must go back as soon as possible to warn them. Make haste!"

They quickly travelled back and made it back to the gray fortress at noon. They hoped off the horse easily and found themselves surrounded by people, muttering _he's alive!_ all around them.

"Where is he! Where is he!" she heard a gruff voice that she recognized as Glimi's. "Get out of my way, I'm gonna kill him!"

When the dwarf stopped before them, he said. "You are the luckiest, the cunniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew!" he embraced Aragorn tightly. "Bless you, laddie!"

Aeldra laughed and Aragorn asked."Glimi, where is the king?"

"Come on, I know the way." Aeldra clapped Glimi's shoulder and Glimi couldn't help noticing how different she was when she thought Aragorn was dead. Her eyes seemed to have broken into millions of pieces. But now they were whole and shinning again.

Aragprn nodded and nearly ran into Legolas, who said seriously, "Le abdollen."(You're late.)

Aragorn looked at him with the same seriousness.

Legolas studied the man. "You look terrible."

Aragorn finally couldn't hold back his laughter and the two friends clapped each other's shoulder. Then Legolas pressed Arwen's Evenstar in Aragorn's palm. Aeldra had forgotten completely that he had taken it. Aragorn stared at it and looked up st the smiling elf, "Hallon le."(thank you)

Aragorn then pushed open the door and the three walked in. Theoden couldn't believe when he heard there was ten thousands coming to raze Rohan to the ground.

Soon, all men in Helm's Deep were running around to prepare themselves. Aeldra, Aragorn, Legolas and Glimi went to the armory and Aragron threw down a blunt sword that was given out.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys." He shook his head. "These are no soldiers."

"They have a strong heart, at least." She comforted him.

"Most have seen too many winters!" Glimi spoke.

"O too few." Legolas agreed. "Look at them, they are all frightened. I can see it in their eyes."

The armory became silent and everyone fixed his eyes on the elf.

"Boe a hyn neled herain… dan caer menig?" he told Aragron in elvish. (And they should be. Three hundred… against ten thousands!"

"Legolas." She warned and eyes went to her, surprised by the fact that a young woman was also preparing for the war instead of being in the caves.

"Si beriatar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras." Aragron replied.(They have a better chance defending themselves here than in Edoras.)

"Aragron, men I ndagor. Hyn u ortheri. Natha daged aen!" Legolas spoke firmly.(They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!)

At this point, Aeldra was really glad that he was using Elivsh to speak. At the same moment, anger seized her as she heard her harsh words.

Aragron strode to him in a few long strides and literally snarled. "Then I should die as one of them!"

The man and elf stared at each other. Then Aragron turned away and stormed out of the armory.

Legolas took a step forward to him but found an expressionless Aeldra in his way.

"Aeld…"

"Go and get yourself killed in the battle. Don't let me see you live." She said bitterly and chased after Aragorn.

She caught Aragorn's arm. "Aragron! Wait!"

"Don't try to calm me down, Blaze."

"Blaze?" she raised an eyebrow at him. "Fine, Strider, I am not here to calm you down. I am here to tell you that I told that elf to get himself killed."

He stopped and turned to face her. Then he clapped her shoulder. "I like the way you lighten up the moods, Aeldra."

She smiled and the two continued walking before sitting down by the stairs to gather themselves.

"Stay beside me when it is the battle, Aeldra. Separating won't be a good idea for both of us."

"Yes." She agreed. "You will face the wall while I defend your back. Remember to yell when…" her words came to a stop when she noticed Aragorn looking at somewhere else.

She followed his gaze and saw a confused boy that was even younger than her own age.

"Give me your sword." Aragorn said. The boy looked at him and then looked around to make sure he wasn't talking to others. When he saw Aragorn looking straight at him, he walked to him and handed him his sword.

Aragorn took it. "What is your name?"

"Haleth, son of Hama, my lord." The boy replied and added timidly. "The men are saying we will live out the night. They say that it is hopeless."

Aragron stood up and swung the sword in his hand. Then he handed it back to Haleth. "This is a good sword, Haleth, son of Hama." Then he put a hand on the boy's shoulder, who didn't tense from the touch. "There is always hope."

When Aragron left to prepare himself, Aeldra taught Haleth how to hold the sword.

"Not your index finger, here, move back a bit… no, there, relax. Don't be so tense! I am not going to eat you!"

Haleth smiled embarrassingly but didn't say anything.

A horn's sound passed to their ears.

She glanced at Haleth and ran to the wall and glanced down. Her jaw dropped when she saw an army of elves marching into Helm's Deep.

She hurried to them and when she saw Haldir leading them in the front, she threw herself at him and kissed his cheek, "Oh, thank you, Haldir you idiot, thank you for coming!"

He smiled and patted her head, "Are you scolding or praising me?"

She laughed again and hugged his side. "Honestly, thank you."

Theoden then walked down the stairs and stared at Haldir. Aeldra took a step back.

Theoden stammered. "How is this possible?"

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once exist between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance."

"Mae govannen, Haldir!" Aragorn hurried down the stairs and bowed a little before hugging the elf. Haldir seemed a bit startle but hugged Aragorn back.

"You are most welcome." Aragorn pulled away and grinned.

Legolas and Haldir clapped each other's shoulder, a gesture between elves. Suddenly the army of elves turned and lowered their bows and shield in unison that it startled Aeldra out of her mind.

Haldir faced King Theoden, who seemed to have calm down a little now. "We are proud to fight alongside men once more."

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><p><strong>Hmmm kind of short but at least I managed 2000 words.<strong>

**Also, why is there 0 review for the last chap?T.T come on guys, be nice to me!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Uhh Eva Pond thanks for so many of your views. A big hug for you=**

Ch15

"Argh. You elves could have picked a better spot." Glimi grumbled.

Aeldra glanced down at Glimi, who was trying to peek over the wall. "You have been complaining for like…" she raised an eyebrow at Legolas.

"Half an hour, I guess." He shrugged.

Aragorn approached them from behind and Glimi said. "Well lad, the luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night."

The was a flash of lightning and the rumble of thunder quickly followed.

"The storm is right above our head." Aeldra noted.

"Your friends are with you, Aragron." Legolas told the grim man.

"Let's hope they last the night." Glimi insisted.

Aragron nodded and walked away, he weaved his way through the elves, calling out. "A Eruchin, u-dano I faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas!" (Show them no mercy! For you shall receive none!"

Suddenly all the Uruk-hai stopped. Glimi asked impatiently. "What's happening out there?"

"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas asked. "Or would you like me to find you a box?"

Glimi gave a sarcastic laugh and Aeldra giggled.

The Uruk-hais started to pound their spears and roared. All soldiers in Helm's Deep raised their bow and the prepared arrow.

Suddenly an arrow shot out from among of the men and impaled into an orc, who fell down dead.

She heard Aragorn shouting. "Dartho!"(Hold!)

It was too late. The Urucks roared and they started to charge towards them with their foul feet.

"Faeg i-varv din na lanc a un ranc." Legolas told her.(Their armor is weak at the neck and under the arms."

"Yes." She nodded, though she knew Legolas wasn't looking at her. She adjusted her bow slightly to aim for the neck instead of the chest.

"Leithio I philinn!" Aragron yelled. (Fire!)

She let go of the string and she watched her own arrow shooting out and impaling into an Uruk's neck, who fell down dead.

"Anybody hit anything?" Glimi asked.

"Oh, shut up, Dwarf." She snapped and put her next arrow in place.

"Tangado a chadad!" Aragorn commanded again. As she shot wildly, she started to admire her old friend's courage to command an army.

"Come on, send them to…" Glimi's voice wavered when he received the hard look from the Hunter.

Suddenly Legolas grabbed her around the waist and yank her to him. An arrow whistled past her head.

"Now we are even." He let her go. Of course, Moria.

"Pendraid!" Aragorn shouted.(Ladders!)

"Good!" Glimi grinned and brandished his axe.

Finally they arrived. Aeldra cut off their miserable heads even before they noticed anything.

"Legolas!" he heard Glimi's yell. "Two already!"

Legolas yelled back. "I'm on seventeen!"

"Argh! I'll have no pointy- ear outscoring me!"

"Nineteen!" Leglolas yelled again.

She darted to Glimi. "I am on twenty-two already, actually."

She whipped away from him and continued her offences to the Uruks.

She ignored everything around her and only concentrated on the battle. She sidestepped a blow and stepped closer to the Uruk. She drove her knife into its neck and flung her knife to meet the slash that she received from behind. Ducking under its arm, she stabbed at its back, earning a painful scream.

Slashed, dodged, hacked, moved. It was just like the basic skills when she was still seven, Aragorn teaching her how to survive in battles.

"_Keep moving and don't stop for any moment under any circumstance. Move but don't run. It will sap your strength. Watch out for any arrows and enemies that is approaching you from the back. When you are offending, slashed first. If you didn't kill him in the first assault, dodge before you think. Hack at it when you are ducking. If you still don't manage to kill him, move to the next target or you would have stay in the same place for too long." He had told her. "Remember these. Slash, dodge, hack, move."_

She slashed, she dodged, she hacked, she moved.

Slashed, dodged, hacked, moved.

Slashed, dodged, hacked, moved.

KA BOOM.

Aeldra didn't have time to brace herself. A large rock flew to her and hit her in the chest directly. All she remembered was a wave of torturing pain at her chest before she slammed on a wall of darkness.

Her dream was a piece of painful memory.

She was five and was riding on a horse, her father holding her tight from behind. The dreaming Aeldra remembered this day clearly. This was the worst day of her almost twenty years of life.

She had been wandering near her home, a village of Gondor at first. Her parents didn't think it is dangerous to let their daughter ran around for hours on her own. Their village was peaceful and she was a Hunter than was being trained. It wouldn't be easy to let a man to catch her.

She suddenly heard the clapping of hooves suddenly at that time. Then she was yank up from the ground immediately and shoved on the horse in front of a man. She elbowed him as hard as she could manage, but the man grabbed her elbow and stopped her easily.

"Aeldra." She recognized the voice as her father and she relaxed. But the words that came out from his mouth made her rigid again. "We are being persuaded."

"By what?" she asked, holding on the horse's neck.

"Orcs. They are here for you."

Even though she was only six at that time, her mind work in a way of a warrior. "Then let me down! I can't let you get hurt for me!"

"No." her father grabbed her shirt when he knew she was about to jump off the horse "This is an order. You must stay with me."

They had rode out of the village by that time and Aeldra asked. "Papa, where is Mama and Deveron?"

When he didn't answer, she grabbed his wrist and reached inside his memories. This is a born power of hers of a Hunter.

When she saw the information that she wanted, she stared into it.

_There is a burning house. I am standing in front of it, shock._

_Then I hear my wife's terrible scream. "Save Aeldra!"_

_Then I know that this day has come. The Dark Lord has come for my daughter._

_Pushing the grief of losing my wife and son down my chest, I run to the stable and ride out with a horse to look for my daughter. I can hear the roaring of Orcs from behind. "Stop him!"_

''_Aeldra." Suddenly there is a voice. "Get out of my head."_

Aeldra pulled her hand away and stared at her father, whose face was dark and his eyes soaked with pain. "Papa… is Mama and Deveron dead?"

He nodded.

She bit her lips and asked again. "Is it because of the prophecy?"

He nodded again. "I am sorry that I bring you to such a world of misery, child."

"This isn't your fault, Papa. This is nobody's fault."

Her father looked at her daughter in awe. Although she was a Hunter, she only six, but she behaved like any young woman that he had encountered. There was no terror in her eyes. Just grief.

"This may be the last day we talk, Aeldra, and I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much."

She nodded. "I love you too, Papa. If I survive this day, I swear I will avenge for you."

"Aeld…" he opened his mouth to stop her, but it was a mouthful of blood that came out. He fell off the horse and Aeldra screamed when she saw the arrow in his back that destroyed her life forever.

Then the voice of Sauron rang again. _"Aeldra, do you remember this day? When all of your family's lives were ruined because of you?"_

She opened her mouth to speak, but she was frozen to place.

"_Your family died for you. Aren't you even the slightest ashamed, little Hunter?"_

_Get out of my head._ She thought.

Sauron laughed._ "Are you ready for more people to die for you? A single soul that claimed so many other souls that beloved her?"_

_Get out._ She repeated.

"_Of course I will." _He laughed. _"So I can watch you weeping over the deaths that should be yours. And also the endure the pain that can be ended."_

She opened her eyes and found herself laying in the ground. Her chest was burning with familiar pain that had nearly killed her for many times. She gasped in pain and looked up at the familiar man that was walking near her.

0oo0

Eomer continued walking, searching for a friend of his that had disappeared after the battle. It wasn't hard to guess what had happened to him and Eomer had already braced himself for the painful fact, but he still wanted to find his body.

Then his foot tripped on something and he crushed on the ground ungracefully.

He shot to his feet immediately, his face on fire. Then he looked down at what had tripped him and was surprised to find a hand around his ankle.

He looked for the person of the hand and found a woman laying on the ground, dirty with sweat and dirt and blood. Her familiar face was the most beautiful face that he had ever seen.

"Eomer, right?" she croaked.

"Oh yes, Aeldra is your name. Are you injured?" he quickly helped her up and noticed that her pale face was contracted with pain.

"No. Just bring me to Aragorn. Quickly. Please." She gasped.

"No. I am taking you to the infirmary. Aragorn…"

"Take me to Aragorn, or drop me on the ground." She groaned but her voice was firm when he lifted her up from the ground.

"No way. Let…"

"The wound of mine is something that no normal healer has encountered before. They cannot…"

"Are you underestimating me people?" he sighed. "If the best of my healers cannot heal you, what can a man like Aragorn do? He is a fighter, not a heal…"

His voice wavered when he saw Aeldra holding up a knife and pressed its tip on her own chest. "Take me to Aragorn, or you know what would I do."

"What is wrong with you?"he grabbed at the knife. Despite the weak form she saw carrying, she had an iron grip on her knife. "I know you won't do it."

"I am willing to plunge it right in to stop the torturing pain on my chest. Let me tell you, I try this before. Aragorn nearly failed to save me at that time."

At this point, Eomer had no choice but to carry her quickly to the halls, where Aragorn was with his friends and Eomer's uncle. When he stormed in, Aragron was instantly by their sides, asking. "Aeldra! Is she ok?"

"I… I don't know. She threatened to kill herself if I didn't take her to you. I wanted to take her to the infirmary originally."

Aragorn almost snatched Aeldra from his arms."What is wrong, Aeld?"

"Split." She gasped out a single word.

Aragorn cursed. "Alright. Here, listen to me" he gestured Eowyn to approach them. She hurried to them when she saw Aeldra's limp form.

"Legolas, go fetch a healer among Lorien. Glimi, go take the white silk bag on my bed – it was beside the pillow. Eomer, go help him as it is quite heavy to manage. Eowyn, go to Aeldra's room and find a small leather bag inside her backpack. It was very small, just a handful of it. Weeds it contains…"

A few seconds later, they were all running around, doing what Aragorn ordered them to do. It was indeed a heavy white bag that Eomer and Glimi heaved it to him. Legolas had found a skilled elleth healer called Nenwyn. They gathered outside the room that Aragorn had taken Aeldra into.

"She was suffering from a poisoned wound." Aragorn told them. "Give me the bags. I will need Nenwyn's skills to heal Aeld. Everyone elses, stay outside. "

Before others could protest, Aragorn had already pulled Nenwyn into the room and slammed the door shut.

The man, woman, elf and dwarf could do nothing but to sit outside the room, waiting while Aragron took care of Aeldra. They had absolutely no idea what had happened to her, except for Legolas, who suspected that it was her old poisoned wound.

Then they heard Aeldra's screams.

Everyone shot to their feet and listened carefully. Everything lapsed into silence for a moment before they heard her tortured screams again and the shouting of Aragorn.

"Hey!" Glimi hit the door, "Is the lassie alright?"

What he had for return was another scream from Aeldra.

Each scream was like a dagger driving to Legolas's chest. He imagined the beautiful pale girl being held down while others did something to her wound. He imagined her arching back as pain shot up her head.

Finally after a few hours, which was like a few years to Legolas, the door opened and Aragorn stepped out, followed by a stricken Nenwyn.

"How is she?" Eomer asked immediately.

"Not good. We did all we can already. The rest is up to her, to see whether she has the willingness to live." Aragorn wiped the sweat off his brows.

"What is wrong with that poor girl? What kind of injury is that?" Eowyn asked.

"I think it is up to her own choice to tell you or not." Aragorn sighed. "Now, may I be excused? For I am very weary."

There were a few mumbled yeses and Aragorn walked away from them. They turned their eyes at Nenwyn.

"What did you two do to Aeld?" Glimi demanded.

"Lord Aragorn forbade me to tell you these." She said softly.

"Then may we go in and see her?" Legolas peered over her shoulder into the dark room. He could still hear Aeldra's ragged breath of pain

"Oh, of course yes. But she is unconscious and do not try to wake her." Nenwyn nodded.

The four people quickly walked inside the room. It was a plain one, only with a bed and a table with two chairs. And on the bed lay Aeldra.

She was still gasping in pain. Her face was ghostly pale. Her skin was also quite grayish, few shades grayer than usual. It must be the poison that ran around her body. Sweat covered her skin and her hair was pasting to her forehead and neck. Her breathing was quick like a pant. Her body was tucked under the covers-which was spotted with red and black blood- only revealing her head, shoulder and arms. Only then did Legolas realized that she was nake. He could see the scars which she had earned painfully in last nineteen years that zigzagged on her arms, shoulders and collarbone.

"Hey, lassie." Glimi whispered.

Eowyn knelt down next to her bed and took her right hand. "Aeldra? Are… are you alright?"

"She is so beautiful." Eomer stroked a long, deep scar on her arm. "I have never seen such a beautiful woman. And such a beautiful warrior. Aeldra."

Legolas said nothing but simply pulled a chair beside her and sat down on it. He took her hand gently. It was soft and warm in his grasp. He squeezed it, hoping she would return some pressure, though he knew she wouldn't.

This is going to be a long day.

**So it is the damn wound that nearly destroy her again. Thanks for all the reviews and fav and followers. Love you all**


	16. Chapter 16

Ch16

She was falling.

She was falling down a pit, to the endless darkness beneath. She screamed, but she couldn't hear herself. She was smoking and burning, a star falling from the sky.

_A fallen star._

Then she was swimming.

Swimming through an unfamiliar world where mist was swirling. A hurricane, a whirlwind, a storm. She wasn't herself. She couldn't even feel her own body. She was everywhere and nowhere.

The world was turning. Everything was black and white and swirling and spinning and dancing and drowning.

This was a new world that she had never seen. All the pieces of this place was flying like a shrawl caught in the wind, floating in the water. Like the cloud, the mist, the air, the wind, the current…

Then the hurricane broke apart when she felt something touching her lips. She could see a pair of dark eyes uncomfortably close to hers.

She tried to open her mouth to scream his name, to call him to get off her, but the hurricane closed around her and she melted into nothing again.

0oo0

Legolas closed the door behind him and turned to look at Aeldra.

It has been three days since the battle. Some color had returned to her face and the grayness started to fade, but she still showed no sign of waking.

He stepped beside her and wrapped his fingers around her. Then he knelt down beside her, his hand never leaving hers.

"We are leaving for Isengard, Aeld." He sighed. "We are going to see if Saruman will give in. You are always the better one in convincing others and I wish you can wake and come with us, but we can't take you while you are unconscious."

He gently slid his fingers through her hair, which was spread under her head like a soft, dark pillow. "I do not understand. You are so young. You full of youth. But why do you have to suffer so much, even more than me?"

He watched her pale face, as if waiting for a reply.

"It is not fair. You cannot die. You have fought this poison for years already. You can win. Do not give in. Do not let me finds out that you fail when I come back."

He stood up to leave, but a glance at her breathtaking face forced him to stop. He bent down to kiss her forehead, then her eyes, one by one.

"Please live for me, Aeldra. I cannot live a life without you… I… there are words that I didn't dare to say when you are awake… but now that you cannot hear me… I love you, Aeldra. I am in love with you."

He bit his lips and turned back from her. Then he took his most painful step from life towards the door and away from her.

The moment he closed the door behind him, her eyes opened. She gazed at the door, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

In love with her?

Then bricks of darkness collapsed over her and melt into darkness.

When she woke for the third time, she slapped her eyelids shut immediately. Something bright was making her eyes impossible to open.

She squinted her eyes and opened them for a millimeter.

"Hey, look at her." She heard a male voice.

Then a yell. "Lady Eowyn! Lady Eowyn!"

She heard footsteps and her voice rang. "What.. oh! Set her down on the ground. Quickly."

She felt her hip touching something hard. The movement made her chest burned with agony and she needed to grit her teeth to wait for the pain to subside. She bowed her head to cast shadows over her eyes before opening them.

For a moment, her vision was blurry, which reminded her off the hurricane. Then things came into focus.

She was sitting under a tree with Eowyn kneeling beside her. Two soldiers were beside her, a stretcher in their hands. A small group of people had gathered around them.

"Aeldra?" Eowyn asked gently. "Are you awake?"

"Uh." She muttered. "What is so bright?"

She laughed in joy. "it is the sun, silly. How do you feel?"

"Painful." She groaned and looked around. "Where am I?"

"We are on the way back to Edoras." Eowyn touched Aeldra's back. "You have been out for four days, my friend."

"I see. The others…" she remembered Legolas. "They are in Isengard?"

Eowyn's eyes windened. "How do you know?"

"Legolas talked to me. He didn't know I am half-conscious at that time."

Eowyn grinned happily like a child. "That is good. Do you remember what happen?"

"Uh…" she scowled, trying to remember what happened to her before she passed out. "Oh, the Battle of Helm's Deep. A chunk of rock hit me and I passed out."

"Eomer found you a few hours later." Eowyn spoke. "I guess you remember that, right?"

"Yeah, I tripped him. He crashed on the ground clumsily."

"Really? He didn't tell me." Eowyn laughed. "I suppose you cannot walk, right?"

"Uh." She tried to stand up but another wave of torturing agony washed over her and she fell back on the ground, crying out in pain."

Eowyn caught at her arm. "I see that as a _no._ We shall carry you back."

The soldiers helped her back on the stretcher and Eowyn filled her in while they walked. Gandalf led Eomer's men to the battle and drove the Uruks away. When they fled into the wood, the trees seemed to come into life. They didn't follow to see what happened to them, but it wasn't hard to guess. The elves departed at the night after the battle and Gandalf take Aragron, Glimi , Legolas, Eomer to Isengard to find Merry and Pippin and also to take care of Saruman in the next day. The refugees of Edoras rested for another day before leaving for Edoras. They had walked for a day and it was now afternoon. Hopefully, they would arrive back in Edoras before sunset.

"How dare they leave me." Aeldra snarled playfully, but her snarl was enough to let the two soldiers that carried her shivered.

"Well, they leave me also and I am conscious." Eowyn shrugged.

Aeldra leaned back on the stretcher. Her wound was still hurting numbly. The wound was split quite badly this time unlike last time in Weathertop.

"Aeldra… would you mind telling me how… what happened to you? What kind of wound did you receive and made you go to Aragorn instead of the infirmary?" Eowyn asked carefully.

"Well…" she had never told others about it before, seeing it as a weakness and burden. "I was stabbed by a poison blade many years ago. I managed to make my way to Rivendell and Lord Elrond healed me. That is why I lived in Rivendell for so many years as I healed. But the poison never really leave me. It would be split easily and whenever it was split, the poison will run in my veins again and I will have to stop it before it reach my entire body. If it seeps into my soul… then I am dead."

"How many times had it split?" Eowyn asked in horror.

"Well… a few times. But I manage to survive all. Lucky, right?" she didn't tell her the true reason that why she was still alive as no creatures can survive the poison, even a Hunter.

"You are crazy, Aeldra. Why do you continue to fight even with this wound. You should stay in Rivendell in peace instead of trying to get yourself killed!"

"I am a Hunter, Eowyn. It is not in my blood to live in peace. And also…" she caught herself. _I am going to die soon. What difference do a few years make?_

"What?" Eowyn pressed.

"Nothing that I wish to tell and you wish to know." She replied.

"Do you not trust me?" the hurt in the princess's eyes were obvious. "I promise not to tell others."

Aeldra waved her hand. "Not that I don't trust you, but… no, I haven't tell anyone else. Just… forget it, alright?"

"But… why do you have to be so secretive? I mean… you never told me about your past. You just kept hiding them in the dark. What happened in the past to make you so… weird?"

What Eowyn earned was a fierce glare from Aeldra. Aeldra could again feel the anger that she hadn't feel since in Edoras, when she threw a sandwich at Legolas. She thought she was strong enough to win in this little battle of hers, but obviously this problem was still here.

"Leave it." She hissed. The two soldiers glanced at each other, suddenly realizing that the girl they were commanded to be carried may be a very dangerous one.

"But why? Why do you…"

"You don't understand, right?" Aeldra yelled. "Of course you don't. What do you know? When you are small, your father took care of you. After he died, you mother took care of you. After your mother died, you uncle took care of you. After your uncle went mad, your brother took care of you. After your brother was banished, you uncle came back to sanity and took care of you. What about me?" she took a pause to breathe. She wanted to stop herself, but everything came out like a flow now. she couldn't close her mouth. "all I have is Aragorn. What do I have if he was killed? Nothing. I would be eventually killed as there was no one to watch my back. Do you have to worry about this? No. You are born the princess of Rohan and everybody loves you. You were under Rohan's protection and never have the fear of dying. What about me. WHAT ABOUT ME?"

Eowyn stared at Aeldra in silence. Then she said. "I am sorry."

"Sorry doesn't make it! I am suggesting you to shut up and stay away from me, because I feel like killing you right now!" Something is definitely wrong. She finally managed to close her mouth.

Eowyn turned to the two soldiers. "Take her back to her room after we arrived in Edoras. This Hunter knows the way."

Aeldra watched the golden hair flew as she stormed away. Then she crossed her arms as the two frightened soldiers carried her back to Edoras.

0oo0

As a Hunter, she could heal three times faster than normal human. She was able to limp around the fortress of Edoras in the next day. She enjoyed sitting on the stairs, watching the mountains and waiting for her friends to come back.

Of course, she started to regret what she had said to Eowyn. It was true, but she just shouldn't bring it out of her mouth so harshly. It wasn't her fault that she was born the Lady of Rohan. And her childhood also wasn't an exactly happy one.

And of course, she finally had time to think of what Legolas said before he departed.

He had thought she was unconscious. Thus he told her what was in his heart.

He was in love with her.

Her heart thumped wildly when she thought of this again. She had never been in love, of course. The idea of love… well, it frightened her even more than the idea of dying.

The idea of dying reminded her that the number of day that she had is very limited now. She counted briefly and realized she had only a few weeks until her death.

Her twentieth birthday.

0oo0

Aeldra grinned in happiness when she saw her friends coming back from Isengard in the next day.

She quickly limped to them, careful not to hurt her wound. The others grinned back when they saw her.

"Ah lassie, you are finally awake!" Glimi laughed.

Legolas spread his arms for a hug, but Aeldra stepped back. "Uh… my chest." She said awkwardly. She couldn't help remembering the intimacy in his voice when he spoke _I love you._

"Oh." He flushed.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck gently, trying not to hurt her wound. He didn't dare to return the hug and only patted her back gently.

Then she hugged Aragorn and Glimi. Hugging Glimi was rather hilarious as he could only wrapped his arms around her waist.

"When did you wake?" Aragorn asked.

"Two days ago, on my way back to Edoras." She replied. "How is it in Isengard? What happened to Saruman?"

"He is dead." Eomer answered her.

"Dead?" she raised an eyebrow. "Killed by whom?"

"Grima Wormtongue." Gandalf told her grimly.

She stared. "But…"

"We will talk of these later." King Theoden rode towards her. "I am positively sure that the silly girl Eowyn was dying to know. I will tell both of you and some of my officers later together."

"Yes." She agreed. "And I also need to talk with Aragorn."

"Oh really?" her friend raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Take me to wherever you want to tell me."

She nodded at others in politeness and drew Aragorn away from the crowd, still limping. She took him to her room and shut the door.

"Well?" he asked.

She sighed and folded her arms on the window frame. "It… it is _him_ again."

"What happened?" he immediately strode beside her and leaned on the wall.

"He is taking over control of my body." She whispered. "I yelled at Eowyn harshly. This time was different. At least, in the last time, I know what I am doing and I know I am doing it. He is only controlling my rage. But this time… I want to stop… but I can't. Almost as if my mouth was out of control."

"He is taking over control." He shook his head. "Aeldra, this is serious. I thought you were strong enough to defeat him in this little battle of yours, but clearly you cannot."

She groaned and slid her arm through Aragorn's. "Aragorn, you are just like my father and I trust you in everything. Please tell me what should I do."

She heard him sighed and his touch on her shoulder. "There is nothing we can do. I have asked Gandalf already when we are travelling to Isengard. We can only be there for you and tried not to anger you. And tried not to get angry so easily. It seemed that _he_ is stronger whenever you are angry. But that is quite difficult, considering that little situation you are at…"

"What kind of situation?" she scowled.

"Legolas."

She blushed.

**I know, not much in this chap. But I promise ya guys, Aeldra's past is coming out really soon! All the ques, puzzlement is gonna be solved! **

**There aren't many reviews or fav or follows lately. Just be nice to me, ok?:(**


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